Anti-Fungal Screening of Tubers of Cyperus rotundus Linn

Biradar S.S¹*, Wadkar G.H.¹, Rasal V.P.¹, Kane S.R.²

¹KLES’s College of Pharmacy, Belgaum, Karnataka, 590 010

²Rajarambapu College of Pharmacy, Kasegaon, Sangli, 415 404

ABSTRACT:

The antifungal activity of aqueous and Petroleum ether extract of tubers of Cyperus rotundus Linn was performed on human pathogens Aspergillus fumigates and Candida tropicallis. The antifungal activity is compared with standard antifungal drug (5-flurouracil) at different concentration. All the extract showed fungicidal activity. At higher concentration it shows significant antifungal activity. Amongst oil appears in Petroleum ether extract showed effective against fungal species.

KEYWORDS: Anti-fungal activity, cup plate method, Cyperus rotundus.

INTRODUCTION:

In the patient treated with immunesuppressive drugs, intensive chemotherapy, suffering AIDS and neonates the incidence of opportunistic fungal infection is increasing at an alarming rate¹.These mycoses are very difficult to eradicate constituting an enormous challenge for healthcare providers². Although they appear to be an array of drugs for the treatment of systemic and superficial mycoses, none of them is ideal in terms of efficacy, safety or antifungal spectrum^3,4. Cyperus rotundus Linn. (Cyperaceae) is used in stomach disorders, diarrhoea and dysentery. The roots and tubers are analgesic, antibacterial, antispasmodic, antitussive, aromatic, astringent, carminative, diaphoretic, diuretic, sedative, skin, stimulant, stomachic, tonic and vermifuge^5,6. An essential oil in the tubers has antibiotic activity and has been shown to arrest the growth of microorganisms⁷. A survey of literature reveled that no systemic approach has been made to study the antifungal activity of tuber oil of Cyperus rotundus Linn and also has not been significantly claimed. Hence there is need for its pharmacological screening.

MATERIAL METHOD:

All the plant have been collected from Belgaum district, Karnataka, India and were authenticated at FRLHT Bangalore, by Dr C.S. Jawahar, M.Sc., Ph.D., FES, Botanist (Raw Drugs), Voucher specimens are kept in KLES’s COP, In Dept of pharmacognosy museum for future reference.

PREPARATION OF EXTRACTS:

Tubers were air dried milled for aqueous extract macerated with mixture of chloroform and water and for Petroleum ether extract dried powder exhaustively with Petroleum ether in a soxhlet extractor for 48 hrs. Extract was dried over anhydrous sodium sulphate and solvent was removed in vacuum at 40⁰C by using rotary evaporator (Rotavapour buchiil, Switzerland) to recover oil.⁸The oil was filtered through Whatman filter paper No 1 and pure oil preserved in cold storage.

ANTI-FUNGAL ACTIVITY:

The antifungal activity of oil was performed by agar cup method⁹. Both extract and reference standard were dissolved in DMF (Di methyl formamide) at concentration of 50 mcg, 100 mcg, 200 mcg/ml, 5-flurouracil was used as a reference standard. Solvent control only DMF was also maintain throughout the experiment. The selected micro organism for the study of anti fungal activity were Aspergillus fumigates and Candida tropicallis. The zone of antifungal activity of the oil was calculated by measuring the inhibitory effect towards growth of fungus around nutrient agar cup and also compared with the standard drug. (5-flurouracil, Biochem Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd, Mumbai)

RESULT AND DISCUSSION:

Result of antifungal assay showed that the aqueous extract is less significant than Petroleum ether extracted oil sample of tubers of Cyperus rotundus has shown comparable antifungal activity against Aspergillus fumigates and Candida tropicallisat all the three concentration of 50 mcg, 100mcg, 200mcg and are comparable to standard (5-flurouracil) as shown in fig1.Present study indicates that the oil of tubers of Cyperus rotundus contains potent antifungal activity.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS:

Dr F.V. Manvi, Principal, KLES’s College of Pharmacy, Belgaum, Karnataka, India for providing all facilities to conduct this work.

REFERENCE:

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Received on 09.05.2010

Accepted on 04.06.2010

Research Journal of Pharmacognosy and Phytochemistry. 2(4): July-Aug. 2010, 317-318