Pharmacognosy and Medicinal Plants

Biography

Abstract

Background: Mycetoma is a devastating, slow-growing bacterial or fungal infection, which develops into a chronic infection of the skin tissues and if left untreated, eventually results in amputation. With existing anti-fungal and surgery, only 35% of people living with the fungal form of the disease, known as eumycetoma, are cured, Madurella mycetomatis has been found to shield itself against the antifungal therapy through the production of melanin decreasing the effectiveness of the therapy, Arctostaphylos uva-ursi has proven antimicrobial effect and is known for it’s content of arbutin which is a potent inhibitor of melanin synthesis in humans, can hopefully potentiate the action of the present therapy and optimize its effect. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of arbutin powder and A. uva-ursi aqueous leaf extract on synthesis of melanin by Madurella mycetomatis.

Methodology & Theoretical Orientation: Aqueous extract of A. uva-ursi was prepared by dissolving 50 g of A. uva-ursi leaves in 1000 ml of water:methanol ratio of 95:5. The arbutin solution was prepared by dissolving 0.5 g of arbutin powder in 20 ml of sterile distilled water. The study of the effect of aqueous extract of A. uva-ursi and arbutin on the synthesis of melanin by M. mycetomatis was carried out as described by van de Sande.

Findings: The inhibitory effect of arbutin on melanin synthesis by M. mycetomatis was found to be dose dependent. A. uva-ursi aqueous leaf extract containing arbutin was also found to decrease melanin production by M. mycetomatis.

Conclusion & Significance: Inhibition of melanin synthesis was observed in the arbutin powder as well as the aqueous extract containing arbutin.