ANTIFUNGAL EFFECT AND PHYTOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS OF SOLANUM MACROCARPON LIN. LEAF EXTRACT IN SOUTHEAST NIGERIA

Abstract

The study investigated the antifungal activities and phytochemical composition of Solanum macrocarpon Lin. Leaf extract. The research was carried out at the Microbiology Laboratory, Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Biological Sciences, Imo State University, Owerri, Nigeria. The phytochemical revealed that alkaloid, phenol, saponin, flavonoid and tannin were present while steroid and terpenoid were absent. Quantitatively, flavonoid, constitutes the highest substance at 9.44% while phenol was lowest with 0.145. Antifungal investigation reveals that aqueous and ethanol extract of Solanum macrocarpon Lin was able to exhibit strong inhibitory activity against fungal isolates. (Aspergillus niger, Fusarium oxysporum, Geotrichum candidum and Botrodipodia theobromae tested). Ethanol extract showed higher inhibitory effect than aqueous extract. In aqueous extract the inhibitory effect is independent of the extract concentration. For 0.5ml aqueous, Fusarium oxysporum had 2.3cm mycelium growth while it was 2.93cm in 1ml. Botrodipodia theobromae had 3.95cm mycelium growth in 0.5ml but 2.75cm in 1ml. The ethanol extract inhibition increases with increase in concentration. In Geotrichum candidum at 0.5ml, mycelium growth was 1.60cm but 1.02cm in 1ml. The antifungal activity of these extract is possibly linked to the presence of flavonoids, saponins and tannins. Further analysis should be carried out to determine the precise active bioactive compounds from Solanum macrocarpon L. that could inhibit fungi growth.