Abstract:
In Algeria, olive tree (Olea europea. L) is considered one of the most widely used
medicinal plants in traditional treatments against various diseases, particularly fungal
infections. The objective of this study is to evaluate the antifungal properties of extracts from
two varieties of olive leaves (Chemlal and Sigoise) harvested in two different regions of the
Ghardaïa province. Maceration with methanol-water followed by rotary evaporation revealed
a considerable yield for the extract of the variety Chemlal reaching 27.77%. The quantitative
analysis of total polyphenols and flavonoids in the extracts revealed that the variety Sigoise
has higher polyphenol content than the Chemlal variety, reaching up to 117.64 μg EAG/mg
EX, while the flavonoid concentrations are nearly equal. Antifungal activity was determined
against three Candida strains (Candida albicans 307, C. albicans 384, and C. albicans ATCC
10231) using the well diffusion method. According to the results, the extracts from both
varieties inhibit the growth of fungal strains. Determine of the minimal inhibitory
concentration (MIC) and Minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) shows that C. albicans
384 strain is the most resistant. The composition of the extracts in bioactive compounds
(polyphenols and flavonoids) could explain their significant activity against fungal infections.
