Antimycotic Potential of Calotropis procera Against Aspergillus niger and Rhizopus stolonifer

Background: For centuries, there has been a growing fascination with the application of herbs for fungicidal purposes worldwide. This surge in interest could be attributed to the cost-effectiveness and lower toxicities of these herbal remedies compared to the counterpart antifungal drugs. There is substantial scope to explore the curative effects of various plant components, including roots, stems, leaves and fruits of Calotropis procera, renowned for its pharmacological activities, encompassing anticancer, antimicrobial, and antioxidant. Objectives: In the present study, the antimycotic potential of the leaf and root extracts of C. procera on the growth of Aspergillus niger and Rhizopus stolonifer was investigated. Methods: The antimycotic potential of C. procera was established via the agar well diffusion method after initial preliminary phytochemical screening of the extracts. Results: Alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, steroids, tannins and terpenoids were present, while glycosides and phenolics were tested negative. The leaf extract inhibited the tested organisms in a concentration-dependent manner where at ۱۰۰% concentration, both A. niger and R. stolonifer showed high mycelia inhibition of ۸۱.۱% and ۷۹.۴%, respectively. Also, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) values of ۳۱.۰% and ۴۸.۰% were recorded for A. niger, as well as ۲۸.۳% and ۴۵.۷% were recorded for R. stolonifer. The aqueous root extract exhibited mycelia inhibition of ۷۴.۴% and ۷۷.۸% against A. niger and R. stolonifer at ۱۰۰% concentration with respectively MIC and MFC values of ۳۲.۷% and ۵۰.۳% for A. niger and ۳۰.۳% and ۵۲.۰% for R. stolonifer.  Conclusion: The study provides promising evidence of potential medicinal properties associated with C. procera, supporting its potential therapeutic applications in traditional medicine.

Keywords:

Aspergillus niger , Calotropis procera , Fungicides , Phytotherapy , Rhizopus stolonifer