Evaluation of antifungal and antimicrobial activities of Caralluma adscendens var. Fimbriata RoxB as potential medicinal herbs

*Corresponding author: Ghogare Pushpa Baban. Copyright © 2025 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article. This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Liscense 4.0. Evaluation of antifungal and antimicrobial activities of Caralluma adscendens var. Fimbriata RoxB as potential medicinal herbs Pushpa Baban Ghogare * and Rangnath K. Aher Department of Botany, New Arts, Commerce and Science College, Parner, Dist - Ahmednagar, Maharashtra - 414 302, INDIA. World Journal of Biology Pharmacy and Health Sciences, 2025, 21(03), 424-432 Publication history: Received on 01 February 2025; revised on 11 March 20215 accepted on 13 March 2025 Article DOI: https://doi.org/10.30574/wjbphs.2025.21.3.0265 Abstract Caralluma adscendens var. fimbriata is a species used as traditional medicines in many parts of India as an anti-diabetic, anticancer, anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and etc. The aim of this study was to evaluate the anti-microbial and antifungal properties of the aqueous extract of the plant. The study showed antibacterial activity against Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria making it a better chemotherapeutic agent. The extracts and its compounds may be used as a safe nutraceutical for the treatment of diseases. In several regions of India, Caralluma adscendens var. fimbriata is a species that is used in traditional medicine for its anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, anti-diabetic, and antioxidant properties. The investigation demonstrated antifungal activity against Aspergillus niger [ATCC 16404] and Candida albicans [NCIM 3102]. The extracts and their constituents could be employed as a secure nutraceutical to address medical conditions. The need for novel approaches is justified by the rise in fungal resistance to conventional medications, the high expense of treatment, and the fact that the majority of antifungal medications on the market only have fungistatic effects. Since its discovery, the identification of medicinal substances found in plants has been the focus of attention. Keywords: Anti-microbial; Anti-fungal; Fungistatic effects; Caralluma adscendens. 1. Introduction Plants have the healing properties since time immemorial. Around the globe the therapeutic usage of plant originated products is used from generation to generation and various medicines have been developed. The development of microorganisms resistance against various drugs/antibiotics has resulted in major cause of infectious disease and clinical therapeutic problems1. Hence, recent trend, requires understanding and awareness on traditional medicine and the presence of natural bioactive molecules have been drawing much attention in order to develop alternate antibiotics from various plants. Synthetic antimicrobial drugs are costly, insufficient for the treatment and furthermore produce side impacts2. This present circumstance gave the need to the pursuit for new antimicrobial drugs from medicinal plants. The therapeutic properties of plants are due to the presence of phyto-chemicals and bioactive compounds like phenol, flavanoids, alkaloid and tannin that makes the plants acceptable for curing the infectious disease. Caralluma adscendens var. fimbriata known as “Yugmaphallottatna” in Sanskrit is an edible thick succulent cactus and is perennial herb growing abundantly in some villages of India and in dry hill regions of Satara districts of Maharashtra. It belongs to Asclepiadoideae family and its local name in Maharashtra is “Makadshenguli/ Shengulmakad. Caralluma species uses are becoming popular in various tribes of India as the species is used as an appetite suppressant and it has an ability to control weight and lowers blood sugar level. It has been found that the plant has some medicinal properties against cancer rheumatism, gastric ulcer and skin infections. The Caralluma species found in India are the part of the medicine system of the country. The species are rich in triterpenes, alkaloids, Glycosides, Saponins and Tannins. The crucial phytochemical constituents of the species make them distinctive and diversified are pregenane glycoside, Flavone glycoside, Saponin glycoside, Megastamine glycoside, Sitosterol and Tomentoganin. (Fig. 1). Hence, in the present study, World Journal of Biology Pharmacy and Health Sciences, 2025, 21(03), 424-432 425 an effort is made toidentify the antibacterial and antifungal activities of ethanolic and methanolic extracts of Caralluma adscendens var. fimbriata against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas, Coliform, Staphylococcus aureus, Aspergillus niger and Candida albicans3,4. Figure 1 Pictorial representation of experimental work It is referred to locally in Maharashtra as "Makadshenguli/Shengulmakad" and is a member of the Asclepiadoideae family. Indian tribes are starting to utilise the caralluma species more frequently because it suppresses hunger, helps people maintain their weight, and reduces blood sugar. The herb has been discovered to possess certain therapeutic qualities against skin diseases, stomach ulcers, rheumatism, cancer, and rheumatism. Medicinal herbs are a rich source of therapeutic applications and are essential for preserving good health and treating a wide range of illnesses in people and animals worldwide. India is one of the world's leading hubs for plant-based pharmaceuticals. Folk medicine is thought to employ over 25,000 plant-based medicinal compositions that are effective. They are also reportedly quite well-known in India's rural communities. India is a vast repository of medicinal plants that have gained popularity in conventional medicine. Many medical systems, including Ayurveda, Siddha, and Unani, use a variety of plant-based remedies to treat a wide spectrum of illnesses5,6,7. The current article discusses the pharmacological properties of the several species of the Caralluma genus. Antiinfection agents are antibacterial specialists that are obtained from common sources. The experts in antibacterial treatment may be either biocidal, eliminating microscopic organisms, or biotic, merely blocking the growth of germs. The microbes and growths deal with a vast and diverse array of living organisms, covering a major portion of the living world. The world's biotic sector includes a vast variety of living organisms. The biotic component of the biological system, which includes all living things with five domains, and the abiotic component, which is affected by climate, are interconnected and interact with one another. Even though the growths were originally given the term "plants," they have now been segregated since they are heterotrophs. This suggests that they use carbon fixed by another organic entity for digesting instead of fixing their own carbon through photosynthesis. Growths are classified alongside creatures in the monophyletic group of opisthotonos and are currently believed to be more strongly identified with animals than with plants8,9. 2. Material and Methods 2.1. Preparation of Methanolic and Ethanolic extract The powdered plant material extracts were prepared using solvent of high polarity. A portion of 25g of powdered material was extracted using 250ml of Methanol and Ethanol in a Soxhlet apparatus for 24 hours. Consequently, the solvent extract was evaporated to dryness at 44°C in an incubator. The yield of each extract constituents was calculated and stored at 4°C for prior use. The extract was used for assessment of antimicrobial activity. World Journal of Biology Pharmacy and Health Sciences, 2025, 21(03), 424-432 426 The standard concentration of ethanolic/methanolic extract was obtained as 100 mg/ml of stock. Sterilisation of the extract was achieved by keeping it in an incubator overnight at about 37°C. Caralluma fimbriata ethanolic and methanolic extracts were tested for antibacterial activity using the agar well diffusion method. Using a sterile swab, the inoculum of every bacterial culture that was going to be tested was spread out on agar plates10,11. Figure 2 Ethanolic and Methanolic extraction process using Soxhlet of Caralluma adscendens var. Fimbriata Plant 2.2. Preparation of Plant extracts standard concentration 100mg/ml of stock was obtained as a standard concentration of ethanolic/methanolic extract (Fig. 2). The extract was sterilized by overnight incubation in an incubator at temperature ~37°C12. Well diffusion assay of plant extract: Agar well diffusion method was used for screening the antibacterial activity of ethanolic extract of Caralluma fimbriata. Inoculums of each bacterial culture to be tested were spread on agar plates with a sterile swab. Subsequently, wells were punched into the agar medium and filled with 150µl (100mg/ml) of plant extract. The plates were then incubated in the upright position at 37° for 24 h. Two replicates were carried out for the extract against each of the test organism. After the incubation, the wells were observed and the zone of inhibition was noted with the help of measuring scale13. 2.3. Disc diffusion assay of standard antibiotics disc Standard antibiotic discs of Penicillin, Vancomycin and Ampicillin were used as a control. The antibiotic discs were placed on the plates that were swabbed by particular bacterial culture on agar medium. After incubation for 24hrs, the diameters of the growth inhibition zones were observed and measured with the help of measuring scale in mm. The ethanolic extract of Caralluma fimbriata was tested for antibacterial activity using the Agar well diffusion method. Each bacterial culture that was going to be examined had its inoculums spread out on agar plates using a sterile swab14. 2.4. Microorganisms and Fungus Hence, in the present study, an effort is made to identify the antibacterial activities of ethanolic extracts of Caralluma adscendens var. fimbriata against E. coli, Pseudomonas, Coliform and Staphylococcus aureus. Then for antifungal analysis Aspergillus niger [ATCC 16404] and Candida albicans [NCIM 3102] was used. In Chandigarh, India, the Microbial Sort Culture Assortment and Quality Bank (MTCC) collected the Aspergillus niger and Candida albicans societies. The collected boundaries were identified using standard microbiological techniques15. 2.5. Assay of Antifungal Activity An antifungal activity test was conducted subsequent to the modification of the initial approach as presented by references. Once prepared, Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA) was autoclaved for 20 minutes at 15 pounds of pressure and cooled to 45 degrees Celsius. In order to act as antibacterial experts, 10 ml/L of tartaric corrosive (10%) was added to the cooled solution before being put onto sterile Petri plates and given time to harden. Using a sterile swab, the individual microbial suspension was cultured on the media-containing plates. In addition to placing control and standard (Amphotericin B (100 Units/Circles)) plates, the various solvents extracted and arranged circles separately World Journal of Biology Pharmacy and Health Sciences, 2025, 21(03), 424-432 427 on each Petri plate. The plates were incubated for 72 hours at 28ºC. Following the period of brooding, the distances across the zone that matched the paper circle were estimated and communicated in mm16,17. 3. Results and Discussions 3.1. Extract yield We used ethanol solvent for extraction of compounds from Caralluma adscendens var. fimbriata to see the antibacterial activity against various strain of bacteria. The yield percentage of the ethanolic extracts was 32.3%. Table 1 Results for Zone of Inhibition of market available antibiotic disc S. No. Bacterial Strains Zone of inhibition in diameter(mm) of Control Penicillin (10mg) Ampicillin (10mg) Vancomycin (30mg) 1 Staphylococcus aureus 6mm 20mm 5mm 2 Pseudomonas aeruginosa 6mm 16mm 15mm 3 Escherichia coli 8mm 13mm 18mm 4 Coliform 1mm 10mm 4mm Table 2 Results for zone of inhibition of ethanolic plant extract. S. No. Sample Bacterial strains Zone of inhibition in diameter(mm) Ethanolic extract 1 Caralluma fimbriata Staphylococcus aureus 13.5mm 2 Pseudomonas aeruginosa 13.5mm 3 Escherichia coli 18mm 4 Coliform 16mm Table 3 Antifungal activities of Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger in ethanolic and methanolic extract at different concentration S. No. Sample name Agar well 1 (Extract) Agar well 2 (Control) 1. Caralluma fimbriata Ethanolic extract (Candida albicans) 18 mm No Zone 2. Caralluma fimbriata Methanolic extract (Candida albicans) 20 mm 10 mm 3. Caralluma fimbriata Ethanolic extract (Aspergillus niger) 14 mm 12 mm 4. Caralluma fimbriata Methanolic extract (Aspergillus niger) 15 mm 13 mm 3.2. Evaluation of antibacterial activity By disc method the effectiveness of three antibiotics was determined against the bacterial strains (Fig. 3). Ampicillin have shown highest zone of inhibition (20mm) against Staphylococcus aureus and Penicillin showed minimum zone of inhibition against Coliform. 3.3. Evaluation of plant extracts bioactivity In present study the antibacterial activity of the ethanolic extract of Caralluma fimbriata was assayed invitro by agar well diffusion method against 4 bacterial strains (Fig. 4). Among the four bacterial strains Escherichia coli have shown highest zone of inhibition in ethanolic extract while Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa have shown lower zone World Journal of Biology Pharmacy and Health Sciences, 2025, 21(03), 424-432 428 of inhibition in ethanolic extract compared to E. coli. The coliform bacterial have shown intermediate result between the above bacterial strains. 3.4. Antifungal activity In the current investigation, the antifungal activity of Caralluma fimbriata's ethanolic and methanolic extract was evaluated in vitro against a single fungus strain using the agar well diffusion method. 3.5. Against Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger The table number 3 displays the outcomes of the ethanolic plant extract test against Candida albicans using 100 µl of the extract. It is demonstrated that the 18 mm zone of inhibition exists in the ethanolic extract. When 100 µl of the methanolic plant extract was tested against Candida albicans, the results indicated that the extract had a 20 mm zone of inhibition shows in figure 5. (a) Inhibition zone of antibiotics against Escherichia coli. (b) Inhibition zone of antibiotics against Staphylococcus aureus. (c) Inhibition zone of antibiotics against Pseudomonas aeruginosa. (d) Inhibition zone of antibiotics against Coliform. Figure 3 The result of Inhibition zone of marketed antibiotic disk World Journal of Biology Pharmacy and Health Sciences, 2025, 21(03), 424-432 429 (a) Zone of inhibition shown by Ethanolic plant extract Staphylococcus aureus. (b) Zone of inhibition shown by Ethanolic plant extract against Pseudomonas aeruginosa (c) Zone of inhibition shown by Ethanolic plant extract against Escherichia coli. (d) Zone of inhibition shown by Ethanolic plant extract against Coliform Figure 4 The inhibition zone of Plant extract: a), b), c), d). World Journal of Biology Pharmacy and Health Sciences, 2025, 21(03), 424-432 430 (A) Zone of inhibition shown by Ethanolic plant extract against Candida albicans (B) Zone of inhibition shown by Methanolic plant extract against Candida albicans (C) Zone of inhibition shown by Ethanolic plant extract against Aspergillus niger (D) Zone of inhibition shown by Methanolic plant extract against Aspergillus niger Figure 5 Zone of inhibition shown by Ethanolic and Methanolic plant extract against Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger. 4. Conclusion This study presents an overview of the Caralluma adscendens var. fimbriata that can be used to treat against obesity, diabetes, hypertension, ulcers, and cancer. The Caralluma adscendens var. Fimbriata genus is a promising source for phyto-chemicals with therapeutic usage and suggests possible leads for researchers to discover herbal effects but most of the evidence remains suggestive but not conclusive so further phytochemical and pharmacological research is needed. The demonstration of antibacterial activity of Caralluma adscendens var. fimbriata against Gram positive (Staphylococcus aureus) and Gram negative bacteria (Coliform, Pseudomonas, E. coli) provides the scientific basis for its use in the traditional treatment. Further studies are required to establish the exact mechanism of antibacterial activity of phytochemicals extracted from so Caralluma adscendens var. fimbriata that better and safer chemotherapeutic agents can be developed from this plant. Further phytochemical and pharmacological research with more work should be done to address critical health concerns prevailing in developed as well as developing countries for designing a safer nutraceuticals approach for these diseases. An overview of Caralluma adscendens var. fimbriata, a plant that can be used World Journal of Biology Pharmacy and Health Sciences, 2025, 21(03), 424-432 431 to treat cancer, diabetes, obesity, ulcers, and high blood pressure, is given in this paper. Further phytochemical and pharmacological research is required because Caralluma adscendens var. Fimbriata genus is a promising source of phyto-chemicals with therapeutic applications and offers potential leads for researchers to discover herbal effects. However, the majority of the evidence is suggestive rather than conclusive, so more research is needed. Caralluma adscendens var. fimbriata's antibacterial activity against Aspergillus niger and Candida albicans has been demonstrated, which offers scientific support for the plant's usage in traditional medicine. To create safer and more effective chemotherapeutic medicines, more research is needed to determine the precise mechanism of action of the phytochemicals isolated from Caralluma adscendens var. fimbriata.plant. Numerous issues in practically all bio study domains can be resolved with the use of bioinformatics investigations on proteins, nucleic acids, and other biomolecules. In order to address serious health issues that are present in both developed and developing nations, more phytochemical and pharmacological research should be conducted in order to provide a safer nutraceuticals method for treating these disorders. Compliance with ethical standards Acknowledgments The authors thank the SARATHI of Maharashtra for the funding provided through CSMNRF-2021/2021-22/546. 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