In vitro Study of Antifungal Activity of Averrhoa bilimbi Extracts against Candida species

Abstract

Averrhoa bilimbi is mostly known as cucumber tree or bilimbi often used by the traditional practitioner in the treatment of hypertension, pyrexia, diabetes mellitus and antimicrobial. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine the antifungal activity of Averrhoa bilimbi fruits and leaves extracts against the pathogenic Candida species which lead to Candidiasis. An in vitro study was conducted to determine the antifungal activity of extracts from a different part of Averrhoa bilimbi plant against the Candida species. Both aqueous and ethanolic extracts originated from the fruits and leaves of Averrhoa bilimbi plant were prepared to determine its antifungal activity against the fungi species of Candida family. The pathogenic, commensal Candida species was obtained by culturing samples of hair pluck, skin scrap, oral swab and a vaginal swab from free-roamer cats onto Sabouraud Dextrose Agar (SDA) media. Aqueous and ethanolic extraction of fruits and leaves were prepared. Then, the qualitative phytochemical analyses were done to detect the presence of secondary metabolite compounds such as saponins, flavanoids, tannins, and phenols which it was believed to contribute to the antifungal property. Kirby-Bauer disc diffusion method was performed for the antifungal sensitivity test and sterile disc impregnated with different dilution of concentration of the extracts product were prepared and inoculated inside an incubator for about 24 to 48 hours on Mueller-Hilton Agar media containing lawn culture of Candida species. The results showed presence of inhibition zone around the disc soaked with different concentration of plant extracts indicating of positive antifungal activity towards the Candida species. Besides, the fruits extract possessed larger inhibition zone compared to the leaves extract. In a nutshell, these positive outcomes proved that there was an evidence of antifungal property of both fruits and leaves part of Averrhoa bilimbi plant that was susceptible towards Candida species.