Antifungal metabolites from medicinal plants used in ayurvedic system of medicine in India

Abstract

India has rich heritage of using medicinal plants in traditional medicine such as Ayurveda, Siddha, and Unani besides folklore practices. Ayurvedic system of medicine has its long history of therapeutic potential. The use of both plant extracts and phytochemicals with known antifungal properties is of great significance. The increasing failure of chemotherapeutics and antifungal resistance exhibited by pathogenic microbial agents has led to the screening of several medicinal plants for their potential antimicrobial activity. The most important bioactive constituents of plants are alkaloids, tannins, flavonoids, and phenolic compounds. Phytomedicines derived from plants have shown great promise in the treatment of various fungal diseases. Single and poly herbal preparations have been used for the treatment of various types of illnesses. Interest in plants with antifungal properties has revived as a result of current problems associated with the use of chemically synthesized antifungals. The aim of present communication is to summarize the antifungal agent and metabolite from plants. Human fungal infections are increasing due to the increased cancer and AIDS patient. Infection with HIV leads to immune suppression and up to 90 % of HIV infected individuals contract fungal infections of which 10-20 % die as a direct consequence of these infections.