EFFECT OF AQUEOUS EXTRACT OF EUCALYPTUS SP., NERIUM OLEANDER AND ALLIUM SATIVUM ON THE GROWTH OF DERMATOPHYTES

The surface mycosis of skin, hair and nails are common infections in the world. They are due to the several molds and yeasts. The main agent responsible for these affections is the dermatophytes: filamentous fungi which live in depending on the keratin of the cornea layer, the skin and the superficial growths of human and animal. Their distributions vary from one country to another and area to another in the same country, according to the climate of each area and favors factors development of these fungi. The dermatophytes pose serious problems of health. The thhhThe aim of the present study is to evaluate the inhibitory effect of aqueous extracts of three plants against three dermatophytic species induce dermatophytosis in the area of Annaba "East of Algeria", isolated from patients reached of the dermatophytosis. We have isolated three species (Trichophyton rubrum, Trichophyton verrucosum and Microsporum ferrugeneum) using Sabouraud Dextrose Agar medium (SDA), that were tested with crude extracts of three plants; Allium sativum (garlic), Nerium oleander (oleander), and Eucalyptus sp. (eucalyptus). The method applied was the solid state dilutions. The obtained results showed that all extracts examined reduced growth of mycelium compared to the controls. It was found that garlic crude extracts proved the highest growth inhibition against the three species (38, 59% to 100%), followed by eucalyptus with 60% to 80%, whereas, oleander reduces the growth with 50% to 60%.