In vitro activity of Phytolacca dodecandra (Endod) against dermatophytes.

There is a need for better and less costly treatment of superficial mycotic infections, and one approach might be testing of'traditionally used plants for their antifungal activities as potentials for drug development. The aim of the present study was to determine the in vitro activity of Phytolacca dodecandra (Endod) on various species of dermatophytes and yeasts of medical importance. The aqueous extract from the plant P. dodecandra was tested for its antifungal activity against 33 dermatophyte and yeast strains. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) was determined by adopting the broth microdilution method for testing of conidium forming filamentous fungi according to the NCCLS M38-P proposed standard with some modifications. The MIC of P. dodecandra against the dermatophytes tested ranged from 19.5 mg/l to 156.0 mg/l, while for all the yeasts the MIC was >500 mg/l. The minimum inhibitory concentration for 50% (MIC50) of the dermatophyte strains was 62.5 mg/l. The extract showed fungicidal activity against the dermatophytes that ranged from 19.5 to 312.5 mg/l. No activity was observed against the yeasts. From our preliminary results antifungal activity of P. dodecandra has been shown. This should he strengthened with more extensive studies which address both the antifungal activity and the active principle that is responsible for its fungicidal activity.