ANTIFUNGAL RESPONSE OF PHENOLS AND CRUDE EXTRACTS ISOLATED FROM SOME THELYPTEROID FERNS

Crude extracts and extracted phenols from different plant parts (leaf, rhizome, petiole etc.) of some pteridophytes were tried experimentally to test their antifungal properties on a comparative basis. In this study, the antifungal properties of three members of the family Thelypteridaceae viz. Ampelopteris prolifera, Christella dentata, Pronephrium nudatum were tested against a pathogenic fungus Aspergillus niger. The amount of total free phenols from different parts of the above mentioned plants were measured. Presence of maximum amount of free phenols was noted in the sterile leaves and minimum in the rhizomes of all these thelypteroid members studied. Pronephrium nudatumshowed accumulation of highest amount of free phenols in its sterile leaves and lowest accumulation was noted in the rhizomes of Ampelopteris prolifera. Ethanolic crude extracts and extracted phenols from all these plant parts showed antifungal effects.