ANTIFUNGAL ACTIVITY OF KARANJA (PONGAMIA GLABRA) ON MEDICALLY IMPORTANT CLINICAL ISOLATES OF CANDIDA FUNGI

Abstract

In the present study antifungal activity of Karanja (Pongamia glabra) was evaluated against clinical isolates of Candida albicans and C. tropicalis. The aqueous, ethanol, methanol and chloroform extracts of the dried karanja were evaluated for their antifungal activity using standard procedures. Methanol extract showed moderate inhibitory action against C. albicans, while methanol and chloroform extract showed significant effect against C. tropicalis. Results of the present study suggest that the karanja extracts have immense potential to be developed as alternative antifungal agents especially in a situation where available drugs are not effective following development of multidrug resistance in fungi of clinical importance.