COMPARISON OF THE ANTIFUNGAL EFFECTS OF SPARTIUM JUNCEUM AND MELISSA OFFICINALIS HERBS EXTRACTS ON SAPROLEGNIA SP. IN COMPARISON WITH ANTIBIOTICAL EFFECTS

Background and Aim:Contamination of Saprolegnia sp. fungi in edible and ornamental fish is one of the common problems of fish aquaculture ponds and aquariums and has economic losses.Methods:The aqueous, methanolic, and hydroalcoholic extracts of Spartium junceum and Melissa officinalis were prepared by maceration and condensed by rotary. Four concentrations of 20, 30, 40 and 50 mg/ml of the extracts were used. The fungus was isolated from fins of the infected fish and cultivated in sabouraud dextrose agar medium. For the effectiveness of extracts, the agar well method was used and each effect was replicated three times.Results:The methanolic extract of S. junceum had the most inhibitory effect on the growth of Saprolegnia sp. (mean halo of lack of microbial growth was 11.5-14 mm), and subsequently the hydroalcoholic extract was more effective but the aqueous extract of S. junceum did not produce a halo. In comparison, the M. officinalis aqueous extract with a mean halo of lack of microbial growth of 16-18 mm had the highest inhibitory effect on growth, followed by a hydroalcoholic extract with halo of lack of microbial growth of 13.5-15.5 mm, but the methanolic extract of M. officinalis did not affect Saprolegnia sp.. The nystatin antibiotic did not produce any halo of lack of microbial growth.Conclusion:Using plant extracts instead of antibiotics and malachite green could be a good alternative. Particularly, aqueous extract of M. officinalis is recommended because it has the greatest effect and is also beneficial to the health of fish and humans.

کلیدواژه ها:

antifungal effects ، Melissa officinalis ، Saprolegnia sp