title: Antileishmanial and antifungal activity of plants used in traditional medicine in Brazil.
abstract: The antileishmanial and antifungal activity of 24 methanol extracts from 20 plants, all of them used in the Brazilian traditional medicine for the treatment of several infectious and inflammatory disorders, were evaluated against promastigotes forms of two species of Leishmania (L. amazonensis and L. chagasi) and two yeasts (Candida albicans and Cryptococcus neoformans). Among the 20 tested methanolic extracts, those of Vernonia polyanthes was the most active against L. amazonensis (IC(50) of 4 microg/ml), those of Ocimum gratissimum exhibited the best activity against L. chagasi (IC(50) of 71 microg/ml). Concerning antifungical activity, Schinus terebintifolius, O. gratissimum, Cajanus cajan, and Piper aduncum extracts were the most active against C. albicans (MIC of 1.25 mg/ml) whereas Bixa orellana, O. gratissimum and Syzygium cumini exhibited the best activity against C. neoformans (MIC of 0.078 mg/ml).
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Parasitologia, Microbiologia e Imunologia, ICB, Universidade Federal de Juiz de Fora, Juiz de Fora, MG, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fernanda G
authors.initials: FG
authors.lastname: Braga
authors.forename: Maria Lúcia M
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Bouzada
authors.forename: Rodrigo L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Fabri
authors.forename: Magnum
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de O Matos
authors.forename: Francis O
authors.initials: FO
authors.lastname: Moreira
authors.forename: Elita
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Scio
authors.forename: Elaine S
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Coimbra
mesh_terms: D027926:Anacardiaceae; D000818:Animals; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D031212:Bixaceae; D001938:Brazil; D036561:Cajanus; D002176:Candida albicans / Q000187:drug effects; D003455:Cryptococcus neoformans / Q000187:drug effects; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical; D020128:Inhibitory Concentration 50; D007891:Leishmania / Q000145:classification / Q000187:drug effects*; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D031339:Ocimum; D031701:Piper; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D010946:Plants, Medicinal; D027842:Syzygium; D035741:Vernonia
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents; D000981:Antiprotozoal Agents; D010936:Plant Extracts