@article{Ndiba_Waihenya_2022, title={ Efficacy of Aloe secundiflora crude plant extract against Candida albicans and Penicillium marneffei}, volume={1}, url={https://journals.must.ac.ke/index.php/AJSTSS/article/view/16}, DOI={10.58506/ajstss.v1i2.16}, abstractNote={<p><strong>Abstract</strong></p> <p>Medicinal plants have been used in production of various drugs singly or in combination and even as principal raw material for the production of other conventional medicines. There are a number of Aloe species that grow wildly in Kenya. Ten mature leaves of <em>Aloe secundiflora </em>were collected and the crude plant extract was obtained and prepared according to Waihenya <em>et al.,</em> 2003. It was then tested for antifungal activity against <em>Candida albicans </em>and <em>Penicillium marneffei</em>. <em> In- vitro </em>studies on the efficacy of crude extracts of <em>A. secundiflora </em>on <em>C</em>.<em>albicans </em>and <em>P. marneffei</em> were conducted. The results of the study revealed considerable zones of inhibition of <em>Candida albicans </em>growth caused by <em>Aloe secundiflora </em>crude plant extract on Sabouraoud agar. There was also growth inhibition of the <em>Penicillium</em> <em>marneffei</em> which is known to cause infections in immunosuppressed hosts and in non-AIDS patients with hematological malignancies and those receiving immunosuppressive therapy. Our results suggests that, the extract can be used to prevent the aflatoxins caused by <em>Aspergillus</em> species and the superficial mycosis that result from fungal infection and probably any other kind of mycoses. Further studies are required starting with experimental models to establish the <em>in-vivo </em>activity of the crude extract, the active ingredient, dosage and safety of <em>A.secundiflora</em>, before recommending it for clinical use.</p> <p> </p> <p><strong>Keywords:</strong> <em>Aloe secundiflora</em><em>, Immunosuppressed hosts, Crude extract, Candida albicans, Penicillium marneffei</em></p>}, number={2}, journal={African Journal of Science, Technology and Social Sciences}, author={Ndiba, Patrick Mutharia and Waihenya, Rebecca}, year={2022}, month={Dec.}, pages={11–15} }