Evaluation of antidermatophytic activity of ά-(2-hydroxy-2-methylpropyl)-ω-[2-hydroxy-3-methylbut-2-en-1-yl] polymethylene - the compound isolated from Caesalpinia bonducella (L.) Flem.

A compound was isolated from ethyl acetate leaf extract of Caesalpinia bonducella (L.) Flem. and identified as ά-(2-hydroxy-2methylpropyl)-ω-[2-hydroxy-3-methylbut-2-en-1-yl] polymethylene by UV, IR, NMR, HPLC and GC/MS and evaluated for antifungal efficacy by Agar and broth dilution methods against clinical dermatophytes (viz., Trichophyton tonsurans, Trichophyton mentagrophytes, Trichophyton rubrum, Microsporum gypseum and Epidermophyton floccosum). In agar dilution method, T. tonsurans was inhibited only at 400 μg/ml concentration of the compound, whereas all others were inhibited even at low concentrations; optimum pH was 6.0; size of the colonies of the fungi deceased when inoculum size decreased from 10 to 10 spores/ml with increase with compound concentration from 100 to 400 μg/ml. In broth dilution method, mycelial dry weight of all test fungi decreased with the increase in the concentration of the compound; optimum pH was 6.5; decline in biomass of all fungi along with increase in concentration of the compound were observed which were significantly different (p<.05). The dermatophytes used in this study are the most common and widespread of this group and since, there is no scientific evidence to support the medical use of ά-(2-hydroxy-2-methylpropyl)-ω-[2-hydroxy-3-methylbut-2-en-1-yl] polymethylene, further studies are needed in order to elucidate the mechanism(s) of action of these compounds and their derivatives, as well as the antimicrobial activity against other microbial strain in particularly antibiotic resistant dermatophytes.