ANTIFUNGAL ACTIVITIES OF UNRIPE GRAPE (Vitis venifera) AND PAWPAW (Carica papaya) FRUIT EXTRACT: A COMPARATIVE STUDY.

Abstract

Pathogenic fungi are harmful organisms that causes diseases in human and had the potential of

resulting to death, due to negligence of its capacity to do so. This work is undertaken to evaluate

the anti-fungi activity of unripe fruits of Carica papaya and Vitis venifera: The phytochemical

compounds of the whole unripe fruits were determined using standard procedure. The anti-fungi

activity was Carried out using zone of inhibition/susceptibility assay. The result of the

phytochemicals obtained showed that Vitis venifera had ten (10) compounds which includes

Alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenoids, phenol while the Carica papaya had nine (9) compounds

present, only Phlobatamine is absent. The quantitative phytochemicals result revealed that

reducing of the sugar has the highest value of 90.99 ± 0.16 and 84.83 ± 0.28 in both Vitis venifera

and Carica papaya. This was followed by saponin with 44.48 ± 0.47 and 44.20 ± 3.78 in Vitis

venifera and Carica papaya respectively. It is observed that all the phytochemicals in Vitis venifera

are higher than that of Carica papaya. The zone of inhibition/susceptibility of the fungi strains

revealed that Carica papaya had high zone of inhibition against two strains namely; A. Flavus

and R. oligosporus with 40mm each than Vitis venifera and the anti-fungi control (Ketoconazole)

Vitis venifera showed higher zone of inhibition against A. niger than the Carica papaya and the

anti-fungi control. This result implied that despite the high concentration of the phytochemicals in

Vitis venifera, Carica papaya had better anti-fungi effect than the standard anti-fungi control

ketoconazole and Vitis venifera.