In vitro antifungal assay of traditional Argentine medicinal plants.

Methanol extracts from 11 traditionally used Argentine medicinal plants were assayed in vitro for antifungal activity against yeasts, hialohyphomycetes as well as dermatophytes with the microbroth dilution method. Among them, the strongest effect was presented by Eupatorium buniifolium and Terminalia triflora, Trichophyton mentagrophytes and Trichophyton rubrum being the most susceptible species with MICs ranging from 100 to 250 microg/ml. Lithrea molleoides showed the broadest spectrum of action inhibiting all of the tested dermatophytes with MIC=250 microg/ml.