COMBINED ANTI-FUNGAL ACTIVITY OF ALOE VERA, LIME AND GARLIC EXTRACTS AGAINST SOME PATHOGENIC FUNGI
Abstract
ABSTRACT
Fungal infections remain a major public health concern due to increasing resistance to conventional antifungal drugs. Plant-derived bioactive compounds present promising alternatives because of their availability and diverse mechanisms of action. This study aimed to evaluate the antifungal activity of single and combined extracts of Aloe vera, lime, and garlic. Aloe vera gel, lime juice and garlic powder was prepared and tested against Aspergillus niger, Candida albicans, and Penicillium spp. using agar well diffusion, with fluconazole serving as the control. The results showed that Aloe vera had the highest antifungal activity among the extracts, with inhibition zones of 9.5 mm, 10.2 mm, and 8.7 mm against Aspergillus niger, Candida albicans, and Penicillium spp., respectively. Meanwhile, the combination of Aloe vera, lime, and garlic produced the largest inhibition zones against Aspergillus niger (14.6 mm), Candida albicans (15.1 mm) and Penicillium spp. (13.0 mm). Although the observed activity remained lower than that of the standard antifungal drug (fluconazole). The improved performance of the combinations indicated synergistic effects of the plant. The findings demonstrate the potential of plant extract combinations as effective and sustainable antifungal alternatives to synthetic agents.
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