Antifungal activity of ficus racemosa leaf extract and isolation of the active compound

Abstract

The 50% methylene chloride in hexane flash column fraction of the extract of the leaves of Ficus racemosa was found to have antifungal activity. The extract inhibited the growth of several plant pathogens (Curvularia sp, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, Alternaria sp, Corynespora cassiicola and Fusarium sp). Psoralen was identified as the active compound and was shown to be biodegradable, having the potential to be developed as a fungicide against pathogens causing diseases on crops of economic importance.