Antifungal and cytotoxicity effect of floral extracts of <em>Fridericia platyphylla</em> and <em>Fridericia florida</em>

Abstract

Introduction: Fridericia platyphylla and Fridericia florida are two species belonging to the Bignoniaceae family with potential biological activities such as antifungal and cytotoxic.

Objective: To evaluate the floral extracts of Fridericia platyphylla and Fridericia florida for antifungal activity on Candida sp. and cytotoxic activity on Artemia salina.

Methods: F. platyphylla and F. florida flowers, were collected and, the extract produced by static maceration using hydroethanolic solution (70%). The antifungal activity on Candida sp. was carried out using paper disk diffusion methodology, and the cytotoxic activity on Artemia salina, both assay in different concentrations of extract.

Results: The floral extract of F. platyphylla showed potential inhibitory activity on C. guilliermondii 13.8-9.7 mm and C. albicans 18.6-14.5 mm at the highest concentrations of 100-50 mg mL^-1, respectively. For the floral extract of F. florida it showed potential inhibitory action on C. albicans 11.5-6.8 mm and C. krusei 14.3-11.1 mm at the highest concentrations between 100 and 50 mg mL^-1, respectively. The extracts proved to be toxic with LC₅₀ of 237.81 and 301.20 µg mL^-1, respectively.

Conclusions: The floral extracts of Fridericia platyphylla and Fridericia florida demonstrated in this study, the first results of antifungal activity on Candida and cytotoxic action on Artemia salina. In view of these results, it is observed that the extracts of Fridericia species evaluated have potential for the development of new phytotherapic drugs.