The antidermatophytic activity of the aqueous and ethanolic extracts of Neem (Azadirachta indica) leaves was investigated against 88 clinical isolates of dermatophytes by agar dilution. The isolates included Microsporum canis (50), M.audouinii (5), Trichophyton rubrum (6), Tmentagrophytes (5), T.violaceum (12), T.simii (5) T.verrucosum (1) T.soudanense (l), T.erinacei (1) and Epidermophyton floccosum (2). The results were compared with the minimal inhibitory concentrations of ketoconazole. The ethanolic extract was found to be more active inhibiting 90% (MIC 90) of the isolates at a concentration of 100 μg/ml. The MIC 50s and MIC 90s of the aqueous extract were 500 and > 500 μg/ml whereas the values for ketoconazole were 1 and 2.5 μg/ml ‘respectively.
Venugopal et al. (Fri,) studied this question.