Prosopis farcta: Potent Antifungal Activity Against Trichophyton mentagrophytes Strains; A Research Based on an Ethnobotanical Study

Background and Objective: Dermatophytosis is a superficial fungal disease. Prosopis farcta has attracted attention for ethnobotany and medical purposes. The present study aimed to investigate the antifungal properties of Prosopis farcta extracts against Trichophyton mentagrophytes (PTCC 5054) and five archived terbinafine resistant clinical isolates of T. mentagrophyte, based on an ethnobotanical report in Yazd province (Iran). Materials and Methods: In vitro drug susceptibility for methanol extract and amphotericin B was carried out according to the CLSI-M38-A2. A topical solution (1%) was formulated by root extract of P. farcta. The nine male Sprague rats were infected by T. mentagrophytes and assessed for in vivo anti-dermatophytic activity. Results: The MIC value of Amphotericin B was ≤ 0.5 μg/mL against all strains. The methanol extract showed the lowest MIC and MFC values on fungal activity (both with 0.00625 mg/mL). The complete cure of 21-day period with terbinafine is reduced to 10 days with methanol 80% root extract of P. farcta solution. Conclusion: Compared with Amphotericin B, P. farcta could be considered a potential antifungal agent in terbinafine-resistant clinical isolates of dermatophytes.