In-vitro antidermatophytic and preliminary phytochemical studies of petroleum ether and Inter-polar methanolic leaf extracts of Thevetia nerrifolia

Antidermatophytic activity (Agar well diffusion technique) of petroleum ether and 98% methanolic leaf extracts of Thevetia nerrifolia (Apocynaceae) was evaluated against mycotic fungi namely, Trichophyton rubrum, Trichophyton tonsurans, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, Microsporum gypseum, dimorphic fungi such as, Candida albicans and pathogenic bacteria like, Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Brevibacillus spp. The significant antidermatophytic activity was shown by 98% methanolic extract, which inhibited all the test fungi and bacteria with time and dose dependent activity. The 98% methanolic extract retarded the growth of all the organisms at 40 mg/ml up to three weeks and beyond. The MIC’s, MFC’s and MBC’s were determined against all the test strains. Preliminary Phytochemical tests were carried out using both the crude extracts. This study provides basis for the isolation and purification of anti-dermatophytic inter polar compounds from the leaves of T. nerrifolia.