Antifungal Screening of Mimosa Pudica Plant Extracts against Phytopathogenic Fungi

The antifungal properties of the leaf and stem of Mimosa pudica plant (Touch me not) was investigated using agar incorporation method. The activity was tested against Trichophyton verrocusum, T. mentagrophytes, Microsporum nanum, Aspergillus niger and A. flavus at 10, 20 and 40 mg/ml. The extracts inhibited the growth of the above mentioned fungi at 10, 20 and 40 mg/ml except A. niger. The highest growth inhibition (90%) was observed at 40 mg/ml of leaf methanolic extract against T. verrocusum. Generally, the results showed significant difference (P<0.05) in the percentage growth inhibition of leaf, stem and mixture of M. pudica on all the fungal isolates at the different concentrations of the extracts. Antifungal activity against the isolates were observed to increase significantly (P<0.05) with increasing concentrations of plant extracts. The highest antifungal activity of the extracts was recorded at 40mg/ml concentration, which was significantly higher than that of the positive control (Greseofulvin, 10mg/ml), but lower than Greseofulvin at 40 mg/ml concentration. The plant extracts of the leaves, stem and mixture did not show any antifungal activity against A. niger at the various concentrations used in this study. It is therefore suggested that the local ethnomedical preparation and prescription of the plant sources should be scientifically evaluated and then disseminated properly and the knowledge about botanical preparation of traditional sources of medicinal plants should be extended for future investigation for drugs discovery.