Acalypha wilkesiana: preliminary in vitro microbiological and clinical trial on dermatitis.

Acalypha wilkesiana is a common hedging plant in West Africa. Water extract of the red/brown varieties, the Red Acalypha has been used for decades by the local inhabitants for treating skin problems. The water extract of A. wilkesiana was subjected to a clinico-laboratory study to assess its efficacy i.e. ability to clear standard organisms in agar plates and to stop symptoms and clear skin lesions of eczema cases in a 3-week study period. The extract showed significant antibacterial and antifungal properties in vitro and was found to be reasonably useful in the treatment of eczema. No allergy or irritation was documented in the cases used for the study. In a depressed economy as found in most developing countries of Africa, medicinal plants like Acalypha wilkesiana could be used as a cheap and readily available sources of skin medication. More work is required to determine the active ingredients in the crude extract.