Antifungal Potentials of Terminalia cattapa Linn on Aspergillus terreus and Trichoderma mantas using Drosophila melanogaster (Iso) as a Model

One of the contemporary threats facing man is antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Available antimicrobials have been distorted and are almost unproductive, with some of these drugs associated with dangerous side effects in some individuals. The development of new, effective, and safe antimicrobials is one of the ways of tackling the problem of AMR. Medicinal plants are potential sources of new antimicrobial molecules. Terminalia catappa is one of these medicinal plants in the family of combreteceae that has been used traditionally for treatment of various diseases in different parts of the world, Nigeria inclusive. The research is designed to determine the antifungal potentials of T. cattapa on Aspergillus terreus and Trichoderma mantas using Drosophila melanogaster (Iso) as a Model. Leaves and stem of T. catappa were collected and extraction was carried out using cold maceration method with methanol. Phytochemical screening was carried out using standard methods, antifungal susceptibility was done using the agar well diffusion techniques and minimum inhibitory concentration and minimum fungicidal concentration were also determined using broth dilution methods. Ingestion methods were used to infect flies with different fungal pathogens and treated on a diet containing different concentrations of plant extracts. Survival rate was taken for seven days and mortality was recorded. Phytochemical screening of the extracts revealed the presence of the following bioactive constituents; Saponins, Flavonoids, Tannins, Steroids and Carbohydrates. The antifungal activities were concentration dependent, with the highest activity against Aspergillus terreus with a zone of inhibition of 10±0.82 to 16±0.41mm and 11±0.41 to 20±0.45mm at the different concentrations for leaves and stem extract respectively. The results of the infectious studies showed that flies infected with A. terrues and treated with 60 mg/ml of leaf extracts had the highest survival rate of 58.33% and 61.44% of 50mg/ml of stem extract as compared with the standard drug itraconazole with a survival rate of 65.11% at 60 mg/ml respectively. The survival rate of the flies decreased at higher concentrations. Both leaves and stems of T. cattapa at various concentrations manifested antifungal activities in vitro and in vivo on both Aspergillus terreus and Trichoderma mantas. These support the use of T. catappa in the treatment of fungal infections. Keywords: Aspergillus terreus, Trichoderma mantas, Drosophila melanogaster, phytochemistry, antifungal activities, survival rate.