Phytochemical analysis and in vitro screening of antifungal activity of Jatropha multifida, Euphorbia hirta, Occimum gratissimum and Mitracarpus scaber leaves extract

The research study was to understudy the qualitative and quantitative phytochemical compounds and antifungal activity of methanolic extracts of Jatropha multifida, Euphorbia hirta, Occimum gratissimum and Mitracarpus scaber leaves against 12 species of fungi.

The 8 phytochemical compounds tested were saponin, phenol, tannin, flavonoids, steroids, terpenoid, alkaloid and glycoside. The antifungi sensitivity test was analysed by Kirby-bauer disc diffusion method. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) was analysed by broth tube dilution method followed by subculturing the relative samples. The plant extracts were prepared in the concentration range of 6.25, 12.5, 25, 50,100 and 200 mg/ml. The antifungal sensitivity test showed that Jatropha multifida (200mg/ml) was weakly effective against Fusarium solani and resistant against others. Occimum gratissimum, Euphorbia hirta and Mitracarpus scaber at (200mg/ml) respectively was highly effective on most of the fungi species tested with zone of inhibition of 10-20mm. Jatropha multifida had MIC and MFC (>200mg/ml), Occimum gratissimum had MIC and MFC (100 and >100mg/ml), Euphorbia hirta (25-200 and 50 - >200mg/ml) and Mitracarpus scaber had (25 - 100 and 50-200mg/ml) on most test isolates respectively. Investigations showed, Mitracarpus scaber were highly effective, followed by Euphorbia hirta, Occimum gratissimum and Jatropha multifida on the test organisms and could be attributed to the presence of phytochemical compounds and as such can be harnessed and used as a source of alternative medicine especially in the tropics like the South-eastern Nigeria.