RESUMEN
Extracts from 11 plant species belonging to the Zingiberaceae were tested for antifungal activity using disc diffusion bioassays. Extracts from several members, especially Alpinia galanga, Curcuma zedoaria and Zingiber purpureum, were found to have pronounced inhibitory activities against a wide variety of human pathogenic fungi, including strains resistant to the common antifungals amphotericin B and ketoconazole. As members of the Zingiberaceae are generally regarded as safe for human consumption, these species are excellent candidates for development as novel therapeutics.
Asunto(s)
Antifúngicos/farmacología , Hongos/efectos de los fármacos , Zingiberaceae/química , Borneo , Farmacorresistencia Fúngica , Etnobotánica , Humanos , Medicina Tradicional , Pruebas de Sensibilidad Microbiana , Micosis/microbiología , Extractos Vegetales/farmacologíaRESUMEN
In this study, 36 extracts derived from 29 plant species selected using an ethnobotanical approach were tested for antifungal activity against a taxonomically diverse group of 13 human pathogenic fungi. We compared the inhibitory characteristics of these plant extracts with those of the commonly used antifungals, amphotericin B and ketoconazole, and the plant-derived antifungal, berberine. Several plant extracts, notably those from Zingiber officinale (ginger) and Juglans cinerea (butternut), had pronounced antifungal activity against a wide variety of fungi, including strains that were highly resistant to amphotericin B and ketoconazole. Further exploration of Z. officinale as an antifungal is warranted as this species is generally regarded as safe for human consumption.