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8311094 
Journal Article 
In vitro and in vivo antifungal activity of Cassia laevigata: A lesser known legume 
Panigrahi, GK; Maheshwari, R; Kumar, S; Prabakaran, J 
2012 
1 
International Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences
ISSN: 2656-0097
EISSN: 0975-1491 
4 
SUPPL.3 
206-210 
English 
Cassia spp of caesalpiniodeae (Cassia fistula, C. laevigata, C. renigera, C. biflora and C. siamea,) have been of special interest due to their good therapeutic value in folk medicine. The present study was designed to evaluate the antifungal activity of some well and lesser known above mentioned Cassia spp. against five economically important fungal phytopathogens (Aspergillus niger, Rhizoctonia solani, Macrophomina phaseolina, Fusarium oxysporum and Colletotricum fulcatum). Hexane, ethyl acetate, methanol and water extracts of five Cassia spp leaves were prepared and tested for their in vitro antifungal activity against above phytopathogenic fungi by agar well diffusion method. Among all the extracts tested, methanol extracts of C. laevigata and C. fistula leaf significantly inhibit the growth of F. oxysporium and A. niger on agar plate showing mean diameter of inhibition zone (MDIZ) of 2.6 cm (F. oxysporium) and 1.8cm (A. niger) against C. laevigata and MDIZ of 1.9 cm (F. oxysporium) and 1.4cm (A. niger) against C. fistula. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for the C. laevigata methanol extract was found to be 5 % against F. oxysporium and 7.5 % against A. niger. While methanol extract of C. fistula was found to have MIC of 7.5% against F. oxysporium and 10% against A. niger. Application of C. laevigata methanol extract on the 3week old F. oxysporum infected Vigna ungiculata plants decreases the defense related enzymes e.g. peroxidase, catalase and pectinase activity by 50 % compared to infected untreated plants. To the best of our knowledge there was no earlier reports regarding the antifungal properties of C. laevigata against different phytopathogenic fungi. Thus this report may be the first study suggesting its potent antifungal activity, which may serve as a new cost effective botanical fungicide to control pathogenic fungi in agricultural fields. 
Antifungal; Cassia laevigata; Fusarium oxysporum