Tuesday, 4 November 2025

Antifungal Properties of Kalanchoe luciae Raym-hammet: A Traditional South African Remedy for Ear Infections | Chapter 1 | An Overview of Disease and Health Research Vol. 7

 

Background: Kalanchoe luciae Raym-Hammet plant species is generally used for the treatment of ear infections. Traditional health practitioners use leaf juice extract directly from the leaves of K. luciae to treat ear infections.

 

Aim of the Study: This study aims to evaluate the antifungal properties of leaf extracts of K. luciae against Aspergillus fumigatus, Cryptococcus neoformans, and Candida albicans.

 

Methodology: The plant species was selected from the database of Ethnomedicinal Plants’ Laboratory, comprising over 300 medicinal plants used for the treatment of various diseases in humans, Limpopo province, South Africa. In this study, mature and young leaves of K. luciae were extracted with acetone and methanol. The leaves were squeezed separately to extract juice from the leaves. The leaf extracts were tested for antifungal activity against Aspergillus fumigatus, Cryptococcus neoformans, and Candida albicans using a serial dilution assay.

 

Results: The methanol and juice extracts had the highest antifungal activity against A. fumigatus with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MIC) of 0.04 and 0.10 mg/ml. C. neoformans was most susceptible to acetone mature leaf extract, followed by both mature and young leaf extracts at a mean MIC value of 0.09 mg/ml and 0.16 mg/ml, respectively. In the bioautography assay, there were no active compounds observed in all extracts against the tested fungal pathogens.

 

Conclusion: K. luciae can serve as a potential plant that could be used as a source of antifungal compounds that can be incorporated into antimicrobial drug production.

 

 

Author(s) Details

Sinorita Chauke
Department of Biodiversity, Faculty of Science and Agriculture, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, University of Limpopo, Private Bag X1106, Sovenga, 0727, South Africa.

 

Salome Mamokone Mahlo
Department of Biodiversity, Faculty of Science and Agriculture, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, University of Limpopo, Private Bag X1106, Sovenga, 0727, South Africa.

 

Please see the book here :- https://doi.org/10.9734/bpi/aodhr/v7/5644

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