Combating Mucormycosis:
Dual Approach using Antibiotics and Plant Extracts against Rhizopus sp. and Mucor
sp.
Jain Mehak, Pundir Ram Kumar and Yogi Rajesh
Res. J. Biotech.; Vol. 21(1); 330-337;
doi: https://doi.org/10.25303/211rjbt3300337; (2026)
Abstract
In the COVID-19 era, mucormycosis (black fungus) has been extensively explored by
researchers. It is relatively rare, but also very serious. In the present study,
antifungal activity of plant extracts and the antibiotic susceptibility pattern
of Rhizopus sp. and Mucor sp. were determined by agar well diffusion and Kirby Bauer
disk diffusion method respectively.
Ketoconazole (28mm) was found to be the most effective, followed by Clotrimazole
(17mm) against Rhizopus sp. The antibiotic susceptibility pattern of Mucor sp. exhibited
sensitivity against Clotrimazole (18mm) followed by Amphotericin-B (12mm) Clotrimazole
was found to be effective against both Rhizopus sp. and Mucor sp. Trachyspermum
ammi methanolic, ethanolic and petroleum ether extracts showed antifungal activity
against Rhizopus sp. with zone of inhibition ranging from 12mm to 22mm. Trachyspermum
ammi petroleum ether extract showed activity against Mucor sp. The current situation
of antibiotic resistance necessitates new tactics for dealing with the antibiotic
resistance-related problems. It can be suggested that combination therapy is needed
to cure the fungal disease and an alternative to antibiotics that is botanicals
as antimicrobial also needs to be screened and studied in vitro and in vivo.
