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Mar 27, 2026
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Abstract

Ringworm infection is one of the most common superficial fungal infections affecting the skin, hair, and nails. Among the dermatophytes, Trichophyton rubrum is considered the predominant causative organism responsible for ringworm infections worldwide. The increasing resistance to conventional antifungal drugs and their associated side effects have encouraged the search for alternative therapies derived from medicinal plants. The present study was designed to evaluate the antifungal activity of the hydroalcoholic extract of Aristolochia bracteolata against Trichophyton rubrum under in- vitro conditions. The plant extract was prepared using the Soxhlet extraction method and subjected to antifungal screening through disc diffusion, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), and time-kill assay techniques. The results demonstrated that the hydroalcoholic extract exhibited measurable antifungal activity against the test organism, showing concentration-dependent inhibition of fungal growth. The MIC analysis confirmed that higher concentrations of the extract significantly reduced fungal proliferation, while the time- kill assay revealed progressive reduction in fungal colony counts with increasing exposure time. The presence of bioactive phytochemicals such as flavonoids, alkaloids, and phenolic compounds may contribute to the antifungal effect. These findings suggest that Aristolochic bracteolata may serve as a potential natural source for the development of antifungal agents against dermatophytic infections.

Keywords

Aristolochia bracteolata, Antifungal activity, Trichophyton rubrum, Dermatophytes, Disc diffusion method, Minimum Inhibitory concenteration (MIC), Time kill assay.

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