Preliminary Phytochemical Screening and Antidermatophytic Activity of Ailanthus Excelsa against Human Pathogenic Fungi

Herbal remedies are very common all over the world and herbal medications are dispensed by apothecaries. Herbal remedies are seen by some as a treatment to be preferred to chemical medications which have been industrially produced. The medicinal values of plants are dictated by their phytochemical and other chemical constituents. Medicinal herbs have been an essential part of human society since the civilization started. They are boon of nature to cure a number of ailments of human beings. In the present study phytochemical screening for the presence of various phyto compounds of Ailanthus excelsa using Acetone Chloroform, n-Hexene & Distilled water has been carried out and was assayed for in-vitro antidermatophytic activity against human pathogenic fungi viz: Microsporum gypseum & Trichophyton mentagrophytes. Results obtained revealed that maximum eight phytocompounds among nine tested, has been observed in the Chloroform solvent extract followed by seven by Acetone & n-Hexene and the least six by aqueous extract. Further the antidermatophytic activity against human dermatophytes has revealed the Inhibition in the mycelial weight of test organisms, and the maximum 57.14% inhibition has been observed in the mycelial weight of Trichophyton mentagrophytes at 2:5 concentration ratio, whereas the maximum 34.88% inhibition ion Microsporum gypseum has further being observed. In the present study it has been observed that Trichophyton mentagrophytes is susceptible among the pathogens whereas Microsporum gypseum is resistant to the selected plant species extract. Key words: Herbal remedies, Phytocompounds, Susceptible & Resistant.