A comparative in vitro study on antifungal and antioxidant activities of Nervilia aragoana and Atlantia monophylla.

Ethyl acetate extract of the whole plant of Nervilia aragoana Gaud. (Orchidaceae) and ethanol extract of the leaves of Atlantia monophylla Linn. (Rutaceae) were evaluated for antifungal and antioxidant activities. At 5 mg/mL concentration of the extracts, the former exhibited more inhibitory activity than the latter against fungi. The order of MIC values for Nervilia aragoana were Saccharomyces cerevisiae (1.4 mg/mL) > Aspergillus niger (1.2 mg/mL) > Aspergillus fumigatus (0.95 mg/mL) > Cryptococcus neoformans (0.75 mg/mL). In the case of Atlantia monophylla values were Cryptococcus neoformans (1 mg/mL) > Candida albicans (0.95 mg/mL) > Aspergillus niger (0.65 mg/mL). TLC-DPPH method assay was carried out to evaluate the antioxidant potential. Further DPPH radical, superoxide, nitric oxide, H(2)O(2) scavenging, and reducing power activities were carried out. N. aragoana (85%) extract exhibited more scavenging activity than that of A. monophylla (66%) by DPPH free radical scavenging method. A. monophylla extract exhibited more superoxide, nitric oxide, H(2)O(2) scavenging activities than that of N. aragoana. The acute toxicity studies of both extracts have shown no mortality rate even up to 3 g/kg body weight in albino rats. Screening for secondary metabolites showed the presence of carbohydrates in both extracts. Flavonoids were found only in the ethyl acetate extract of N. aragoana. Tannins, alkaloids, triterpenoids and steroids were present in A. monophylla. Total phenols present in N. aragoana and A. monophylla were 340 and 560 mg/g extract of gallic acid equivalents, respectively.