Kings University OER

Objective: To determine the antimycotic potency of the aqueous and ethanolic extract of the fruit pulp of Tamarindus indica on human pathogenic Candida albicans.

Methods: The disk diffusion method was employed to check for the antimycotic potency of extracts while qualitative and quantitative analysis of some phytochemical constituents was carried out following standard methods.

Results: The fruit pulp extracts were effective against the organism at 475 and 485 mg/ml in the aqueous and ethanolic extract respectively. The same concentration served as the Minimum Inhibitory and Minimum Fungicidal Concentration (MIC and MCC) in both extracts. The extracts were also subjected to qualitative and quantitative phytochemical analysis.  Alkaloids, tannins and reducing sugars were found in the ethanol extract while in the aqueous extract glycosides, saponins and reducing sugars were discovered to be present.

Conclusions: The study indicated that aqueous and ethanolic extracts of the fruit pulp of T. indica can be a potential source of antimycotic agent to combat the challenge of the emergence of drug-resistance in Candida albicans and the need to produce more effective antimicrobial agents.