Phytochemical Constituents of Euphorbia hirta Extracts and Their Antifungal Activity against Dermatophytic and Non-dermatophytic Fungi from Human Skin Scrapings

Abstract

Euphorbia hirta is widely used in traditional medicine for the treatment of superficial fungal infections. This study evaluated the phytochemical composition, antifungal activity, and synergistic effects of extracts obtained from the leaves, flowers, stem bark, and roots of E. hirta against dermatophytic and non-dermatophytic fungi isolated from human skin scrapings. Plant extracts were prepared using water, hexane, and chloroform as extraction solvents. Qualitative and quantitative phytochemical analyses were performed, while antifungal activity was assessed using the agar well diffusion method, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC), and extract-combination assays to evaluate synergistic activity. The highest extraction yield (47.43%) was obtained from the chloroform flower extract. Phytochemical analysis revealed a high phenolic content, with the leaf extract containing 417.46 ± 0.02 mg/g. Several extracts demonstrated notable antifungal activity. None of the chloroform extracts inhibited all the test isolates across the concentrations evaluated. Hexane extracts showed no activity against Aspergillus fumigatus, whereas only the hexane stem bark extract inhibited Aspergillus niger at 1000 mg/mL, producing an inhibition zone of 18.12 ± 0.14 mm. Trichophyton interdigitale was inhibited by the hexane leaf extract at 500 mg/mL, with an inhibition zone of 14.08 ± 0.17 mm. Aqueous extracts showed no activity against the Aspergillus isolates but inhibited T. interdigitale at concentrations ranging from 250 to 1000 mg/mL. Combinations of the extracts exhibited antifungal activity against A. niger and T. interdigitale. MIC values ranged from 120 mg/mL to >1000 mg/mL, while MFC values ranged from 125 mg/mL to >1000 mg/mL. These findings demonstrate that E. hirta possesses antifungal activity, particularly against T. interdigitale, and exhibits measurable synergistic effects when extract combinations are used. The presence of bioactive phytochemicals further supports the potential of E. hirta extracts as natural antifungal agents or adjunct therapies for the management of dermatophytic and non-dermatophytic fungal infections.