In Vitro Evaluation of Antifungal Activity of Anthraquinone Derivatives of Senna alata

Abstract

Senna alata leaf powder was used to obtain five extracts which contain anthraquinone compounds in different forms i.e. anthraquinone aglycone extract, anthraquinone glycoside extract, anthraquinone aglycones from glycosidic fraction, crude ethanol extract, and anthraquinone aglycone from crude ethanol extract. All extracts were tested against clinical strain of dermatophytes: Trichophyton rubrum, T. mentagrophytes, Epidermophyton floccosum, and Microsporum gypseum by diffusion and broth dilution techniques to find out the active form for antifungal activity. Thin layer chromatography was developed to demonstrate the fingerprints of chemical constituents of each extract. This investigation pointed out the best in vitro antifungal activity of anthraquinone aglycones from glycosidic fraction qualitatively and quantitatively, compared to other extracts.