Souwalak Phongpaichit, Nongyao Pujenjob, Vatcharin Rukachaisirikul and Metta Ongsakul

pp. 517 - 523

Abstract

A partially-purified fraction obtained from column chromatographic preparation of the crude
methanol extract of Acorus calamus Linn. rhizomes was investigated for its antimicrobial activities on
various microorganisms including bacteria, yeasts and filamentous fungi. It exhibited high activity against
filamentous fungi: Trichophyton rubrum, Microsporum gypseum, and Penicillium marneffei with IC₅₀ values
of 0.2, 0.2 and 0.4 mg/ml, respectively. However, it showed moderate activity against yeasts: Candida albicans,
Cryptococcus neoformans and Saccharomyces cerevisiae (MIC 0.1-1 mg/ml) and low activity against bacteria
(MIC 5->10 mg/ml). Scanning electron microscopic observation revealed that hyphae and conidia treated
with this fraction were shrunken and collapsed, which might be due to cell fluid leakage.

Keywords

• Acorus calamus
• antibacterial
• antifungal
• β- asarone fraction