Antileishmanial and antifungal activity of plants used in traditional medicine in Brazil.

Full Abstract

The antileishmanial and antifungal activity of 24 methanol extracts from 20 plants, all of them used in the Brazilian traditional medicine for the treatment of several infectious and inflammatory disorders, were evaluated against promastigotes forms of two species of Leishmania (L. amazonensis and L. chagasi) and two yeasts (Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans). Among the 20 tested methanolic extracts, those of Vernonia polyanthes was the most active against L. amazonensis (IC(50) of 4 microg/ml), those of Ocimum gratissimum exhibited the best activity against L. chagasi (IC(50) of 71 microg/ml). Concerning antifungical activity, Schinus terebintifolius, O. gratissimum, Cajanus cajan, and Piper aduncum extracts were the most active against C. albicans (MIC of 1.25 mg/ml) whereas Bixa orellana, O. gratissimum and Syzygium cumini exhibited the best activity against C. neoformans (MIC of 0.078 mg/ml).

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Author information

Author/s: Braga, Fernanda G (FG); Bouzada, Maria Lúcia M (ML); Fabri, Rodrigo L (RL); de O Matos, Magnum (M); Moreira, Francis O (FO); Scio, Elita (E); Coimbra, Elaine S (ES);

Affiliation: Departamento de Parasitologia, Microbiologia e Imunologia, ICB, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, MG, Brazil.

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Comparative Study; Evaluation Studies; Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Journal of ethnopharmacology (J Ethnopharmacol), published in Ireland. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2007-May; vol 111 (issue 2) : pp 396-402

Dates: Created 2007/04/09; Completed 2007/06/18;

PMID: 17234373, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 12/26/2008)

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Anacardiaceae
Animals
Antifungal Agents - chemistry; pharmacology
Antiprotozoal Agents - chemistry; pharmacology
Bixaceae
Brazil
Cajanus
Candida albicans - drug effects
Cryptococcus neoformans - drug effects
Drug Evaluation, Preclinical

Eugenia
Inhibitory Concentration 50
Leishmania - classification; drug effects
Medicine, Traditional
Microbial Sensitivity Tests
Ocimum
Piper
Plant Extracts - pharmacology; therapeutic use
Plants, Medicinal
Vernonia

Associated Chemicals: Antifungal Agents (0) ; Antiprotozoal Agents (0) ; Plant Extracts (0)

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