Antifungal activity, brine shrimp cytotoxicity and phytochemical screening of gladiolus watsonoides baker (iridaceae)
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Date
2014Author
Odhiambo, Judith
Saffudin, Dossaji
Lukhoba, Catherine
Abiy, Yenesew
Language
enMetadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Plants and plant products are by far the most utilized by humans as source of medicine. They are used by various cultures in
various ways.
Although
the beginning of the usage was by trial and error, accessibility may have also contributed to some potentially
medicinal plants not being accessed and utilized, hence lack of ethnomedicinal usage in histor
y
.
Gladiolus watsonoides
Baker (iridaceae) is
one such plant with high antifungal and cytotoxic activities yet no previous reports have been recorded on its usage, biological activities and
phytochemicals. The aim of this study was to investigate the antifungal activit
y
, cytotoxicity and the phytochemical components in this
plant.
Method:
Organic and aqueous extracts were tested for antifungal activity against
Candida albicans, Aspergillus niger
and
Cryptococcus neoformans
by disc diffusion method.
Toxicity tests were done using brine shrimp larvae – nauplii and phytochemical
screening for the presence of selected classes of compounds conducted by standard chemical procedures.
Results:
Corms from
Organic
extracts showed moderate to high antifungal activity against the three test opportunistic fungi. The aerial extracts were not active against
Aspergillus niger
and
Cryptococcus neoformans
. Varied toxicity levels were noted against the nauplii.
Amongst the classes of compounds
screened, only steroids were absent in corms while glycosides, anthraquinones and steroids were absent in the aerials.
Conclusion:
Further
analysis need to be undertaken before more conclusions can be made on the potential significance of this plant as lead to antifungal drug
development.
Citation
Odhiambo J., Dossaji S. LYCA. "Antifungal activity, brine shrimp cytotoxicity and phytochemical screening of Gladiolus watsonoides Baker (Iridaceae)." Journal of Pharmcy Research. 2014;8(9):1218-1222.Publisher
University of Nairobi