Abstract

The antifungal activity of a herbal decoction used by south western Nigeria traditional healers in the treatment of superficial mycoses and related infectious diseases was tested against clinical isolates of Candida albicans, Trichophyton rubrum andMicrosporium sp. All the test organisms were susceptible to the herbal decoction.Candida albicans were highly susceptible, while Microsporium species were least susceptible. Qualitative detection of some antimicrobial phytochemicals may account for the antifungal efficacy exhibited by the studied decoction.

Key words: Traditional healers, herbal decoction, and antimicrobial activity.