ELEMENTAL INVESTIGATION AND ANTI MICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF MEDICINAL PLANT NERIUM INDICUM MILL. AGAINST DERMATOPHYTIC FUNGI

Abstract

Five extracts such as ethanol, methanol, ethylacetate, chloroform and aqueous were obtained from the medicinal plant Nerium indicum. These extracts were tested against the Dermatophytic fungi, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, Paecilomyces varioti, Microsporum gypseum, and Trichophyton rubrum. All crude extracts were found to be effective against test organism. Methanol, ethanol and aqueous extracts appeared to be most effective antifungal agents as compared to chloroform and ethylacetate extract. More over in present study nine elements, Al, Ca. Cu, Fe, Mg, Mn, P,S and Zn have been determined from the medicinal plant, Nerium indicum. by using atomic absorption spectrophotometry and UV spectrophotometry. The medicinal plant Nerium indicum. contains considerable amount of elements which have therapeutic effects in skin diseases