Usha Patil

 Sri Jayendra Saraswathi Ayurveda College and Hospital, Nazaratpettai, Chennai, India 600123

Address for correspondence: Dr.Usha Patil , M.D., Ph.D. (Ayu.), Associate Professor

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Abstract:-

Fungal infections are emerging as major threat especially in immune compromised patients in developing countries including India. Availability, effectiveness and cost are the major constraints in effective treatment of fungal infections in modern medicines. Nirundi (Vitex nigundo) is one of the anti-infective medicinal herb mentioned in ayurvedic literature. Antifungal effect of aqueous, ethanol, methanol and chloroform extract of V. nigundo dried leaf powder was investigated against clinical isolates of Candida albicans and Candida tropicalis.   It was observed in the study that C. albicans could be effectively inhibited by ethanol, methanol and chloroform extracts while growth of C. tropicalis isolates could be effectively inhibited only by the chloroform extract of the V. nigundo. Results of the study suggest that medicinal plant mentioned in ayurvedic literature V.nigudo has the potential to be developed as antifungal drug. 

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