Evaluation of Antifungal Activity of Physalis alkekengi L. Extracts on Microsporum canis, Candida albicans, Trichophyton mentagrophytes and Nocardia asteroids

Physalis alkekengi L. has been used as anti-infective plant in Iranian traditional medicine. To investigate antifungal activity of the plant extract, wild plant was collected and identified and the aerial parts were air dried and powdered subsequently macerated in solvent. Extracts were concentrated by rotary evaporator at 60 C under reduced pressure. Aqueous, ethanol and methanol extracts were used against Microsporum canis (PTCC 5069), Candida albicans (ATCC 10231,PTCC 5027), Trichophyton mentagrophytes (PTCC 5054) and Nocardia asteroids (clinically isolated) in definite concentration to determine minimum inhibition concentration (MIC) of extracts. Antifungal bioassays were carried out by using agar tube dilution method. Aqueous extract had limited spectrum antifungal effect in comparison to other extracts. Ethanol extracts had the strongest effect with MIC= 15.62 for all tested fungi. Acetone extract although had broad spectrum ability as ethanol extract but should be used in higher concentration to fully inhibit C. albicans. Isolated N. asteroids was the most sensitive fungi in the present study. C. albicans was the most resistance fungi compared to the 3 other fungi species.