ANTIDERMATOPHYTIC AND PROTEASE INHIBITING ACTIVITIES OF THE RHIZOME OF ZINGIBER ZERUMBET (L) ROSCOE EX J. E: SMITH FROM CENTRAL KERALA, INDIA

Objective: Determination of Antidermatophytic and protease inhibiting activities of the rhizome of Zingiber zerumbet from central Kerala, India. Methods: Dried and powdered rhizomes of Zingiber zerumbet were extracted with methanol at room temperature. Antidermatophytic activity of the extract was tested against Epidermophyton floccosum var. nigricans , Microsporum canis, Microsporum gypseum and Trichophyton rubrum by determining the percentage inhibition of mycelial growth. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and fungicidal concentration (MFC) of the extract were determined according to CLSI method–M38-A2 with slight modification. Protease inhibiting activity was analysed using trypsin as the enzyme. Results: The methanolic extract of the rhizome of Zingiber zerumbet exhibited 100 percentage inhibition of mycelial growth of tested dermatophytes at the concentration 1 mg/ml. The inhibitory effect was statistically significant with P=0.000. MIC of the extract was 0.5 mg/ml against all organisms while MFC were 0.7, 0.8, 0.9 and 0.8 mg/ml respectively for E. floccosum , M. canis, M . gypseum and T . rubrum . The percentage inhibition of trypsin activity by 100µg, 500µg and 1000µg of the extract were 33.12±0.95, 56.34±2.82 and 72.93±1.16 respectively. Conclusion: The rhizome of Zingiber zerumbet exhibited anti dermatophytic as well as trypsin inhibiting activity. The material is a traditionally used ingredient in food preparations. Hence it can be used for the development of less toxic medicaments for dermatophytoses and inflammatory diseases in traditional as well as modern medicine.