Time of leaf harvest [24 hour rhythm] and antifungal activity of Acalypha wilkesiana leaf crude extracts

The antifungal activity of the ethanol and boiled water crude extracts of Acalypha wilkesiana leaves were investigated. Extracts were obtained from the leaves collected every 3 hrs within a 24 hrs rhythm or setting. All the crude extract had significant antifungal activity on all the fungi tested [Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus niger, Candida albicans, Microsporum audonii, Penicillium chrysogenum, Rhizopus sp., Trichoderma viride, and Trichophyton mentagrophyte]. There was a definite change in the antifungal activity of crude extracts of A. wilkesiana leaves harvested at different times of the day [3 am, 6 am, 9 am, 12 noon, 3 pm, 6 pm, 9 pm, 12 midnight]. The crude extracts of leaves harvested at 3 am had the highest zone of inhibition while the least inhibition was at 12 noon. The boiled water extract was more active as antifungal than the ethanol extract. The efficacy of the antifungal properties of the leaves harvested at 3 am is probably as good as the check antibiotics Fulcin and Nystatin. Preliminary phytochemical studies of the crude extracts reveal that the ethanol extracts contain cardiac-glycosides, saponins, steroid, and tannins. The boiled extract contains alkaloids, flavonoids cardiac-glycosides, phlobatannins, saponins, steroids and tannins. In this paper significance of the result is discussed