Effect ofLeafExtracts ofAloearborescens Millsubsp. natalensis Berger on GrowthofTrichophyton mentagrophytes

Theantifungal activity ofalyophilized powdercontaining aloe leaf homogenate (whole-leaf powder) against Trichophyton mentagrophytes was investigated. The minimal inhibitory concentration was 25mg/mlbytheagar dilution method, usingSabouraud glucose agar medium.Atsubinhibitory concentrations, the powder exerted itsmaineffect on colony growth byprolongation ofthelagphase andinhibition ofgrowth rate.Homogenates offresh wholeleaf were filtered through WhatmanGF/Apaper,andthefiltrate was dialyzed andconcentrated bymolecular filtration using an Amiconhollow-fiber dialyzer concentrator DC-2, anda powder containing components withmolecular weights higher than10,000 (high-molecular-weight component powder) was prepared bylyophilization. The minimal inhibitory concentrations against three strains ofT.mentagrophytes were all10mg/ml. Theinhibitory activity was fungicidal andwas lost byheating at100°Cfor30min.Boththewhole-leaf powder andthehigh-molecular-weight component powderinduced various morphological abnormalities insporesand hyphaebytheinhibition ofsporegermination anddevelopment ofhyphae. Powdered Capealoe hasbeenusedasapeptic anda laxative infolkmedicine. Soedaetal. reported thatCapealoe juice possesses bactericidal activity butnotasmarked antifungal activity(3). Aloeisamemberofthefamily Liliaceae, thegenusofAloe, withabout170kinds ofrepresentatives, andAloearborescens Millsubsp. natalensis Berger (aloe) rather thanCapealoe isnowbeing usedwidely forcultivation and clinical application ofthealoeveraleaf, especially forthecureofintestinal disturbances, burns, orfrostbites. Inaprevious report (5), we showedthatallicin extracted fromthecrushed cloves ofAllium sativum, amemberofthesame family, haspotent antifungal activity. Inthispaper, wereport theinhibitory effect ofa powdercontaining wholeleafandhighmolecular-weight component ofaloeonthe growth andmorphology ofTrichophyton mentagrophytes invitro.