Abstract
The increasing on the incidence of drug-resistant pathogens has drawn the attention of researchers towards screening the antimicrobial action of plant-derived compound This study aimed to determine the antifungal activity of Malva parviflora extracts, which is widespread and used by the general population in Libya. Extraction was carried out using a cold maceration method by several different polarity solvents (petroleum ether, ethyl acetate, methanol and distilled water). Their total-phenolic and flavonoid content were assessed. The content of total phenolic and flavonoids were found to be the highest in petroleum ether fraction extract (119.558mg GAEg-1) and (227.029mg RU g-1) respectively. The antioxidant activity was estimated using DPPH as free radical scavenging and sugar reducing power. The methanol fraction extract displayed the highest IC50 (50 mg/ml). The results indicate that the increase in the percentage of DPPH free radical inhibition is directly proportional with the increase in the extract concentration. Reducing power increased with the increase on extracts concentration. M. parviflora leave extracts were tested against fungal species Aspergillus. fumigatus and Candida. albicans using antifungal susceptibility assay of yeast and filamentous fungi. Extracts had strong antifungal activity against C. albicans and A. fumigates. Petroleum ether fraction extract has the strongest antifungal activity against A. fumigatus with 94.96% percentage of inhibition. The percentage of inhibition is 96.48% was shown against C. albicans for aqueous extract.