RESUMO
The antifungal activity of chloroform extract of leaves of Acanthus ilicifolius was evaluated in Aspergillus fumigatus infected mice. Swiss albino mice (60) were divided into five groups. All the groups were immunosuppressed with cyclophosphamide and cortisone acetate couple of days prior to intranasal inoculation with Aspergillus fumigatus conidia (10(6)) in all the groups, except the first. Treatment was initiated at 24 h of fungal inoculation and continued up to day 14, and included amphotericin B (1 mg/kg orally) for group III and extract of Acanthus ilicifolius at 250 mg and 500 mg/kg for group IV and V, respectively. Groups I and II received sterile water orally for the same period. From each group, three mice were sacrificed after 1 h and the remaining mice on the 14(th) day of inoculation. One hour post-inoculation lung colony forming unit count confirmed the delivery of conidia into the lungs. Colony forming unit count, intensity of gross necropsy changes and histopathological changes were highest in group II. It improved in group III and also in groups IV and V in dose-dependent manner. Lesions were absent in the noninfected group. Lesions included maximum granulomatous inflammation of lung, multifocal diffused necrotic granulomas on kidney and moderate microgranulomas on liver. From this study, it was concluded that chloroform extract of Acanthus ilicifolius contains active principles that are absorbed after oral administration to produce systemic effects when given at 500 mg/kg dose.