ABSTRACT
By using agar well diffusion assay, antifungal activity of aqueous extract prepared from Egyptian garlic (Allium sativum L.) was evaluated in vitro against two strains of Aspergillus flavus (OC1 and OC10) causing human ocular infection. The recorded minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for growth inhibition of both strains was 3.60 mg/ml. Aqueous garlic extract (AGE) was used in successive in vivo tests as an attempt to cure rabbit's fungal keratitis caused by A. flavus OC1. Findings showed that diluted preparation of AGE was effective topical antifungal agent and succeeded to cure severe A. flavus keratitis in a time course less than 10 days without any observable side effects. Microscopic examination showed that AGE induced deleterious cyto-morphological aberrations inA. flavus target cells. AGE applied to Czapek's broth via contact method was more effective on growth, spores and aflatoxin B1 production than AGE applied to the same broth at the same concentration via fumigation method.
Subject(s)
Humans , Aspergillosis , Aflatoxin B1/analysis , Antifungal Agents/analysis , Aspergillus flavus/isolation & purification , Keratitis/microbiology , Spores, Fungal/isolation & purification , Plant Extracts/analysis , Fumigation/methods , In Vitro Techniques , Efficacy , Garlic , Methods , PatientsABSTRACT
A suitable chemically defined culture medium was selected and some optimal conditions for the production of the highly immunosuppressive compound, cyclosporin A (Cyc A) are reported. Medium of the following composition was favorable for the production of Cyc A by Fusarium roseum: glucose, 30; NaNO3, 2; KH2PO4, 1; MgSO4.7H2O, 0.5 and KCL, 0.5 (g/l). Maximum productivity of Cyc A was achieved at pH 6.0 when 50 ml of the fermentation medium/250 ml flask, inoculated with five fungal agar discs (6 mm, diameter) of 7-days old F. roseum culture after incubation at 30 ºC at 120 rpm for 7 days.