title: Inhibition of human pathogenic fungi by ethnobotanically selected plant extracts.
abstract: In this study, 36 extracts derived from 29 plant species selected using an ethnobotanical approach were tested for antifungal activity against a taxonomically diverse group of 13 human pathogenic fungi. We compared the inhibitory characteristics of these plant extracts with those of the commonly used antifungals, amphotericin B and ketoconazole, and the plant-derived antifungal, berberine. Several plant extracts, notably those from Zingiber officinale (ginger) and Juglans cinerea (butternut), had pronounced antifungal activity against a wide variety of fungi, including strains that were highly resistant to amphotericin B and ketoconazole. Further exploration of Z. officinale as an antifungal is warranted as this species is generally regarded as safe for human consumption.
authors.affiliation: Biology Department, Carleton University, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Christine E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Ficker
authors.forename: J T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Arnason
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Vindas
authors.forename: L P
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Alvarez
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Akpagana
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gbéassor
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: De Souza
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D000666:Amphotericin B; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005658:Fungi / Q000187:drug effects*; D020939:Zingiber officinale / Q000737:chemistry; D006801:Humans; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology; D010946:Plants, Medicinal
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts; D000666:Amphotericin B