ANTIFUNGAL, ANTIBACTERIAL, AND GC-MS PHYTOCONSTITUENTS ANALYSIS OF NHEXANE FRACTION OF Parinari kerstingii LEAVES IN VIEW OF HERBAL COSMETIC
PRODUCTION
WILLIAM NZEGGE1*, SOMTOCHUKWU AMUCHE EVURANI2, AMOGU EMEKA UMA2, KEVIN
SYLVESTER UMOETTE1, CHARLES OKEKE NNADI1, EDWIN OGECHUKWU OMEJE1,
OBONGA OFEM WILFRED1
- Department of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nigeria, Nsukka 410001, Nsukka, Nigeria.\
- Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Nigeria, Nsukka 410001, Nsukka, Nigeria.
Afr. J Pharm Res Dev; Volume 17(3): 392-400; 2025
ABSTRACT
Plant extracts are increasingly used in cosmetics, over-the-counter drugs, and food supplements. This study aims to establish the potential uses of Parenari kerstingii leaf extracts in skin care products and applications. The n-hexane fraction from the methanol extract was subjected to GC-MS, Phytochemical, antifungal, and antibacterial analysis. The GC-MS analysis revealed the presence of compounds including Eicosane; Phenol, 2,4-bis(1,1-dimethylethyl); 6-isopropyl-3-methylcyclohex-2-en-1-one; (9Z,12Z,15Z)-9,12,15-Octadecatrienoic acid; Nonanoic acid; Oleic acid; Palmitic acid, among others, were present in the n-hexane fraction. These compounds have been scientifically proven to possess antifungal activity via multiple mechanisms of action, including inhibition of fungal biofilm formation. Qualitative phytochemical screening showed the presence of Alkaloids, Phenolics, Tannins, Steroids, Sterols, Terpenoids, and Triterpenoids. The fraction showed antifungal activity against Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus ustus, Aspergillus ochraceus, Candida albicans, Trichophyton rubrum, and Rizopus oryzae. The fraction also showed activity against Gram-positive bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus agalactiae, Bacillus cereus, Bacillus subtilis, and Bacillus anthracis. No activity was recorded against gram-negative bacteria: Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium, Shigella dysenteriae, Shigella flexneri, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Conclusively, the n-hexane fraction obtained from the methanol extract of Parinari kerstingii leaves can be employed to produce skincare products or herbal cosmetics for managing fungal infections.
Keywords: Herbal cosmetics, Natural Products, Antifungal, Antibacterial, Parinari kerstingii, GC-MS
Email of correspondence: nzegge.willy@gmail.com;
https://doi.org/10.59493/ajopred/2025.3.16 ISSN: 0794-800X (print); 1596-2431 (online)