Evaluation of antifungal activity of extracts of two Cameroonian Rutaceae:: Zanthoxylum leprieurii Guill. et Perr. and Zanthoxylum xanthoxyloides Waterm.

Aqueous-ethanol 90% extracts of leaves, roots and stem barks of Zanthoxylum leprieurii and Zanthoxylum xanthoxyloides were examined for their antifungal properties against nine fungi by dilution methods on a solid medium and in a liquid medium. Our results indicate that these extracts, to varying extents, inhibit the in vitro growth of Candida albicans, Cryptococcus neoformans and seven filamentous fungi tested. Only the extracts obtained from the roots and stem barks of Z. xanthoxyloides showed antifungal activity on the germs studied, with minimal inhibitory concentration varying, respectively, from 0.5 to 1 mg/ml for the roots and from 0.125 to 1 mg/ml for the stem barks. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.