Inhibition of human pathogenic fungi by members of Zingiberaceae used by the Kenyah (Indonesian Borneo)

• Published in: Journal of ethnopharmacology Vol. 85; no. 2; pp. 289 - 293
• Main Authors: Ficker, Christine E, Smith, Myron L, Susiarti, Siti, Leaman, Danna J, Irawati, Ç, Arnason, John T
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Shannon Elsevier Ireland Ltd 01.04.2003; Elsevier
• Subjects: Antifungal Agents - pharmacology; Antifungal resistance; Biological and medical sciences; Borneo; Borneo ethnobotany; Drug Resistance, Fungal; Ethnobotany; Fungi - drug effects; General pharmacology; Ginger; Humans; Medical sciences; Medicine, Traditional; Microbial Sensitivity Tests; Mycoses - microbiology; Pathogenic fungi; Pharmacognosy. Homeopathy. Health food; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Plant Extracts - pharmacology; Traditional phytomedicine; Zingiberaceae; Zingiberaceae - chemistry; Asia; Borneo; Indonesia; Antifungal resistance; Pathogenic fungi; Traditional phytomedicine; Ginger; Borneo ethnobotany; Zingiberaceae; Human; Monocotyledones; Drug susceptibility test; Pharmacognosy; Extract; In vitro; Biological activity; Medicinal plant; Antifungal agent; Folk medicine; Angiospermae; Minimum inhibitory concentration; Plant origin; Spermatophyta; Activity spectrum
• ISSN: 0378-8741; 1872-7573
• DOI: 10.1016/S0378-8741(03)00009-6

Extracts from 11 plant species belonging to the Zingiberaceae were tested for antifungal activity using disc diffusion bioassays. Extracts from several members, especially Alpinia galanga, Curcuma zedoaria and Zingiber purpureum, were found to have pronounced inhibitory activities against a wide variety of human pathogenic fungi, including strains resistant to the common antifungals amphotericin B and ketoconazole. As members of the Zingiberaceae are generally regarded as safe for human consumption, these species are excellent candidates for development as novel therapeutics.