Original Articles
Nnaoma IE, Unegbu CC, Nnorom C
Abstract
This study screened the phytochemical composition and antifungal activity of the leaf and root extracts of Costus afer on Candida albicans, Aspergillus niger and Aspergillus flavus. The root and leaves of Costus afer was collected along the farm in umuofocha Nekede, Owerri. Ten (10g) of the plant powder for leaf and root was extracted with ethanol by soxhlet method. All the extracts were subjected to standard phytochemical qualitative screening for the presence or absence of various primary or secondary metabolites. The antifungal activity test of the plant extracts on C.albicans, A.niger and A.flavus were done using the agar well diffusion method. All the organisms tested were sensitive to both extracts, except A. flavus which was 100% resistant to the leaf extract of Costus afer. The results of this study showed antifungal potentials of the Costus afer leaves and roots and could be used for treatment of diseases associated with tested organisms except A.flavus which is resistant to leaf extract of Costus after.