Antifungal Activity of Aqueous and Ethanolic Extracts of Bryophyllum Pinnatum Against Pathogenic Fungi in Sokoto State, Nigeria

This study evaluates the antifungal activity of the aqueous and ethanolic extracts of the leaves and stems of Bryophyllum pinnatum against Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, and Fusarium oxysporum. Ethanolic extracts exhibit higher antifungal activity against F. oxysporum (38.67mm at 200mg/mL), corresponding to the control drug's activity (hexaconazole, 38.33mm at 10µg/mL). In contrast, A. Flavus demonstrated a complete resistance to all aqueous extracts with lower susceptibility to ethanolic extracts. The statistical analysis showed significant differences (p < 0.05) between concentrations and extracts, while MIC confirmed the highest efficacy of ethanolic extract, with the lowest MIC (60 mg/mL) observed against F. oxysporum and A. niger. This study offers new insights into the antifungal properties of Bryophyllum pinnatum and underlines its significance as a locally accessible antifungal drug in resource-poor areas. Future work needs to isolate bioactive compounds in this plant and compare efficacy with traditional treatments.