Comparative Anti-Fungal Activities of Leaf Extracts of Pawpaw and Neem against Tinea capitis

Tinea capitis is a contagious dermatophyte infection of the scalp and hair, commonly associated with Trichophyton and Microsporum species. Interest in plant-derived antifungals has increased due to conventional treatment failure, tolerability, access, and emerging antifungal resistance complicate management. This study compares the in vitro antifungal activities of aqueous and ethanolic leaf extracts of pawpaw (Carica papaya) and neem (Azadirachta indica) against Trichophyton spp. Collected leaves of both neem and pawpaw plants were dried, pulverized and extracted using water or ethanol. The extracts were reconstituted to 25, 50, 75, 100, and 150 mg/mL and were tested using an agar-based susceptibility assay. Inhibition-zone diameters, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) were determined. Fluconazole at 5 mg/mL was used as a control. The results showed no inhibition was recorded at 25 or 50 mg/mL. At 75, 100, and 150 mg/mL, pawpaw aqueous extract produced zones of 11, 13, and 25 mm; pawpaw ethanolic extract produced 17, 21, and 30 mm; neem aqueous extract produced 8, 15, and 19 mm; and neem ethanolic extract produced 9, 18, and 21 mm, respectively. Pawpaw ethanolic extract had the lowest MIC (100 mg/mL) and the only reported MFC (150 mg/mL). Pawpaw aqueous and neem ethanolic extracts had MICs of 150 mg/mL. Activity increased with concentration and was enhanced by ethanolic extraction. Pawpaw ethanolic extract showed the greatest in vitro activity.