Dermatophytes and their Control by Plant Extracts: Antimicrobial Activity of Secondary Metabolites from Medicinal Plants

Plants and their products have been used in the treatment of infections since the beginning of human civilization. Although a number of antibiotics are widely used in medicine, the search for antimicrobial substances from plants is still in progress for better and safer drugs to combat bacterial and fungal infections. Atleast 1/5th of the world's population suffers from mycoses and newer preparation of antimycotic drugs are constantly being manufactured against dermatophytoses of human beings. Despite this, the incidence of dermatophytoses has increased during the past year. The old preparation has resulted in many problems like drug resistance, serious and sometimes fatal side-effects. It was, therefore, considered necessary to pursue the screening of plants with an aim to explore a wider spectrum of their activities. It was also desired to screen samples of soil and skin scrapings of patients from Jaipur, for co- relating these infections to their sources and then to seek possible cure against these infections through plant extracts.

Dr.Seema Bhadauria, Asso. Prof. in Botany, Biotech., MGIAS, JECRCfoundation, Jaipur, India. She received her Ph.D under the supervision of Prof. P. Kumar & Dr. M. Sharma. Her specialised field of research work is Medical Mycology & Biochemistry. She is the author of many research papers of Intl. & national Journals.