HPLC PROFILING AND ANTI-CANDIDAL ACTIVITY OF CRUDE AND FRACTIONATED EXTRACTS OF TITHONIA DIVERSIFOLIA

The emergence of multidrug-resistant Candida species poses a significant challenge to current antifungal therapies. Tithonia diversifolia has been traditionally used for its medicinal properties, prompting interest in its potential as a source of novel antifungal agents. This study investigated the antifungal activity of T. diversifolia crude extract and its solvent fractions against multidrug-resistant Candida species. Phytoconstituents were extracted from the leaves of T. diversifolia using solvent extraction, followed by fractionation through a separating funnel. Antifungal activity was assessed via the agar well diffusion method, while minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) were determined using tube dilution and plating techniques, respectively. Bioactive compounds in the extract were identified through High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) analysis. The crude extract showed strong inhibition against Candida glabrata and Candida krusei (22.0 mm). Among the fractions, the aqueous fraction exhibited notable activity against C. glabrata (20.0 mm), while the ethyl acetate fraction was highly effective against C. krusei (22.0 mm). The lowest MIC and MFC values were recorded for C. krusei (MIC=12.5 mg/ml; MFC=6.25 mg/ml). HPLC analysis revealed key antifungal compounds such as Curcumin, Alpha-Tumerone, and 1,8-Cineole. These results demonstrate the promising potential of T. diversifolia as a source of antifungal agents against resistant Candida strains.