Anti-fungal effect of Hevea brasiliensis latex C-serum on Aspergillus niger

Objectives: Hevea brasiliensis extract could potentially be employed as a rela- tively low cost resource for various anti-fungal activities due to the simplicity of latex prepara- tion and the abundance of latex that can be ob- tained in rubber producing regions. The present study was aimed at examining the species spe- cific anti-fungal property of H. brasilensis latex C-serum against Aspergillus niger. Results: The results showed that the latex C- serum exerted a specific antifungal activity against Aspergillus niger, but not Candida albi- cans. Low toxicity of the C-serum was demon- strated in Brine Shrimp Lethality Test (BSLT) with an LC50 value of 98.4 mg/ml. Conclusions: Pending further more elaborated investigations, H. brasiliensis latex C-serum, with its species specific anti-fungal and cancer-origin cell line specific anti-proliferation properties, would probably contribute in healthcare in addi- tion to its traditional role in polymer industry.