A REVIEW ON MEDICINAL PLANTS POSSESSING ANTIDERMATOPHYTIC ACTIVITY

G. Sridhar*, Dr. K. Vadivel, V. Kalaivani, Aravinthasamy A., Arun A., Atchaya J., Balaji V., Balamurugan S.

Dermatophytosis remains one of the most prevalent superficial fungal infections affecting skin, hair, and nails, caused mainly by Trichophyton, Microsporum, and Epidermophyton species. Traditional medicinal plants have long been used as natural remedies for fungal disorders, and recent scientific investigations have validated their antidermatophytic potential through various extract-based studies. This review presents a consolidated scientific account of fifteen medicinal plants reported for their antidermatophytic activity. For each plant, essential details including family, biological source, specific plant parts utilized, type of extracts prepared, bioassay employed, dermatophyte strains tested, and observed zones of inhibition are systematically documented. Published results show that extracts such as ethanolic, methanolic, aqueous, hydroalcoholic, and essential oils produce varying degrees of inhibitory activity against major dermatophytes like T. rubrum, T. mentagrophytes, M. gypseum, T. verrucosum, and E. floccosum. By compiling these experimentally reported findings, this review provides an organized comparative reference on plantderived antifungal effectiveness, supporting their continued relevance as promising natural agents for dermatophytosis management.