Abstract

LEITE, João Jaime Giffoni et al. Chemical composition, toxicity and larvicidal and antifungal activities of Persea americana (avocado) seed extracts. Rev. Soc. Bras. Med. Trop. [online]. 2009, vol.42, n.2, pp. 110-113. ISSN 0037-8682.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0037-86822009000200003.

The present study had the aim of testing the hexane and methanol extracts of avocado seeds, in order to determine their toxicity towards Artemia salina, evaluate their larvicidal activity towards Aedes aegypti and investigate their in vitro antifungal potential against strains of Candida spp, Cryptococcus neoformans and Malassezia pachydermatis through the microdilution technique. In toxicity tests on Artemia salina, the hexane and methanol extracts from avocado seeds showed LC₅₀ values of 2.37 and 24.13mg mL^-1 respectively. Against Aedes aegypti larvae, the LC₅₀ results obtained were 16.7mg mL^-1 for hexane extract and 8.87mg mL^-1 for methanol extract from avocado seeds. The extracts tested were also active against all the yeast strains tested in vitro, with differing results such that the minimum inhibitory concentration of the hexane extract ranged from 0.625 to 1.25mg L-¹, from 0.312 to 0.625mg mL^-1 and from 0.031 to 0.625mg mL^-1, for the strains of Candida spp, Cryptococcus neoformans and Malassezia pachydermatis, respectively. The minimal inhibitory concentration for the methanol extract ranged from 0.125 to 0.625mg mL^-1, from 0.08 to 0.156mg mL^-1 and from 0.312 to 0.625mg mL^-1, for the strains of Candida spp., Cryptococcus neoformans and Malassezia pachydermatis, respectively.

Keywords : Avocado seeds; Artemia salina; Aedes aegypti; Yeasts.