Phytochemical Screening of Solvent Extracts from Hyptis suaveolens LAM for Fungal Growth Inhibition

Abstract

Hyptis suaveolens was targeted on the basis of folkloric uses which suggest its toxicity to microbes, coupled with its importance as food to humans. The pulverized plant material was extracted with 96% ethanol and further partitioned using chloroform, distilled water, petroleum ether and methanol. Soluble solvent extracts of the plant were tested for phytochemicals which revealed the existence of alkaloids, flavonols, flavones, flavonones, terpenoids, tannins, aldehydes and ketones and the absence of steroids, saponins and anthraquinones. Antifungal screening exhibited growth inhibition in some instances which exceeded that of griseofulvin antibiotics. The presence of phytochemicals and activity against Aspergillus niger, Candida albicans, Cryptococcus and Fursarium species support ethno-medicinal uses of plant.