ANTIFUNGAL ACTIVITY OF CHLOROFORM AND ACETONE EXTRACTS OF SOLANUM DOLICHOSEPALUM AGAINST FUSARIUM OXYSPORUM

Objective: Evaluate the effectiveness of acetone (A) and chloroform (C) extracts of the plant Solanum dolichosepalum to control two isolated strains (S1 and S2), each from different specimen passiflora of the fungus Fusarium oxysporum . Methods: The extracts of S. dolichosepalum were obtained by Soxhlet-solid-liquid extraction and their antifungal activity and minimum inhibitory concentrations against F. oxysporum determined by the diffusion method in potato-dextrose agar using fluconazole (60 μg/ml) as a positive control. Results: Both acetone and chloroform extracts of S. dolichosepalum presented antifungal effect on the two evaluated strains of F. oxysporum , exhibiting percentages of inhibition ranging between 33% and 95%, depending on extract concentration. It was found that extract C was more effective against S1 with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) equal to 0.1558 g/ml, while extract A showed a greater inhibitory effect on S2 with a MIC = 0.1939 g/ml. Conclusion: Extracts in chloroform and acetone of the plant S. dolichosepalum were shown to be effective media to control strains of the fungus F. oxysporum . The effectiveness of these extracts to control fungi is comparable to the antifungal activity measured in the extracts of other related species.