Antimycotic activity of Petroleum ether and 98% methanolic young leaf soxhlet extract of Solanum nigrum (Solanaceae) was evaluated against dermatophytic fungi namely, Trichophyton rubrum, Trichophyton tonsurans, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, Microsporium gypseum, Candida albicans, and bacteria like, Staphylococcus aureus, Psudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis, Escherichia coli. The maximum activity was observed in interpolar methanolic extract when compared to low polar petroleum ether extract. The minimum inhibitory concentration, minimum fungicidal concentration and minimum bactericidal concentration were determined against all the test strains. This study provides a basis for the isolation and purification of anti-dermatophytic compounds from the young leaves of S. nigrum.
The plant Solanum nigrum treated with the pathogen Phytophthora infestans-de- rived elicitor responded by elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, lipid peroxidation and lipoxygenase (EC 1.13.11.12) activity in comparison with control plants indicating that oxidative stress took place. We demonstrate that these events are accompanied by a significant increase in plastoquinone (PQ) level. It is postulated that PQ may be associated with mechanisms maintaining a tightly controlled balance between the accumulation of ROS and antioxidant activity that determines the full expression of effective defence.