Anti-fungal effect of Hevea brasiliensis latex C-serum on Aspergillus niger.
OBJECTIVE
Hevea brasiliensis extract could potentially be employed as a relatively low cost resource for various anti-fungal activities due to the simplicity of latex preparation and the abundance of latex that can be obtained in rubber producing regions. The present study was aimed at examining the species specific anti-fungal property of H. brasilensis latex C-serum against Aspergillus niger.


RESULTS
The results showed that the latex C-serum exerted a specific antifungal activity against Aspergillus niger, but not Candida albicans. Low toxicity of the C-serum was demonstrated in Brine Shrimp Lethality Test (BSLT) with an LC50 value of 98.4 mg/ml.


CONCLUSIONS
Pending further more elaborated investigations, H. brasiliensis latex C-serum, with its species specific anti-fungal and cancer-origin cell line specific anti-proliferation properties, would probably contribute in healthcare in addition to its traditional role in polymer industry.
Institute for Research in Molecular Medicine (INFORMM), University Sains Malaysia, Pulau Pinang, Malaysia.
K M A
KM
Daruliza
K L
KL
Lam
K L
KL
Yang
J T
JT
Priscilla
E
E
Sunderasan
M T
MT
Ong
D000818:Animals; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D001156:Artemia / Q000187:drug effects; D001234:Aspergillus niger / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000254:growth & development; D052978:Disk Diffusion Antimicrobial Tests; D028482:Hevea / Q000737:chemistry; D007840:Latex / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000633:toxicity; D007928:Lethal Dose 50; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D013997:Time Factors
D000935:Antifungal Agents; D007840:Latex