Evaluation of anti-fungal activity of Piper betle aqueous extracts against Trichophyton rubrum using electron microscopic study

Aims: Current anti-fungal agents possess side effects, including toxicity to human health, requiring longer treatment and are expensive. This study was conducted to evaluate the anti-fungal activity of Piper betle against Trichophyton rubrum. Methodology and results: The aqueous extracts from P. betle leaves were assayed against T. rubrum using 3-(4,5- dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT assay) as a colorimetric broth microdilution method to determine the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) values. Microscopic studies were conducted using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and a transmission electron microscope (TEM) to identify the morphological changes and target organelles post-treatment. Results showed MIC and MFC values for T. rubrum were 62.5 mg/ mL. SEM results showed distinctive morphological changes of T. rubrum after treatment with P. betle aqueous extract compared to positive and negative controls; short and crooked hyphae and abnormal forminghyphae.TEM study shows the ultra-morphological changes to the internal organelles of T. rubrum after P. betle aqueous extract treatment. Conclusion, significance and impact of study: Based on the results evaluated visually and chemically, this studyrevealed that P. betle aqueous extracts possess great anti-dermatophytes potency against T. rubrum.