Antimicrobial Effect of Cassia alata Leaf Extracts on Fungal Isolates from Tinea Infections.

Dermatophytoses are caused by fungi in the genera Microsprum, Trichophyton and Epidermophyton. Africans use extracts of medicinal plants to treat dermatophytosis. This study aimed to determine the in vitro antifungal activity of crude leaf extract of Cassia alata on fungal isolates from dermatophytosis lesions. Subjects with suspected lesions of dermatophytosis were recruited for the study. Skin scrapings were obtained from lesions for microscopy and culture. Isolates were identified macroscopically and microscopically. Fresh Cassia alata leaves were plucked and authenticated by a Botanist. Aqueous and alcohol extraction was done using the Soxhlet extractor. Isolates were subjected to in vitro leave extracts antifungal testing using disc diffusion methods. A total of 50 subjects were recruited for the study comprising 28(56.0%) males and 22(44.0%) females with a male to female ratio of 2.5: 1. The prevalence of dermatophytes infection in the study was 14(28.0%). Trichophyton rubrum was the most encountered isolates (42.8%). Males 10(71.4%) were more infected than females 4(28.5%). The susceptibility rates of dermatophytes to anfungals range between 0 -100% with 30(78.6%) susceptibility to Griseofulvin. The aqueous extract was more effective with susceptibility rates 33.3% - 83.3% than ethanolic extract 16.7% - 50.0%. The dermatophytes were more susceptible to the 50µg/mL aqueous extract with rates between 50% - 83.3% while the range for the 50µg/mL ethanolic extract was 25.0% - 50.0%. Trichophyton veruccosum and E. floccosum were resistant to extracts. Cassia alata leaf extracts had antifungal activities against dermatophytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]