Chemical Examination and Antifungal Activity of Curry Leaf (Murraya koenigii (L.) Sprreg.)

The essential oils and carbazole alkaloids from the leaves of Murraya koenigii (L.) Spreng. have been studied for their antifungal activity against three test fungi viz. Rhizoctonia solani, Rhizoctonia bataticola and Helminthosporium oryzae. The essential oils had shown fungitoxicity more than 50% at 2000 μg mL⁻¹ concontration tevel. Amongst crude extracts, benzene extract was found to be more antifungal than hexane extract. Antifungal activity of pure carbazoles koenimbine were improved by their derivatisation into corresponding N-methyl koenimbine and N-methyl koenidine. However, hydrogenation of the pure carbazoles into dihydro derivatives caused reduction in the fungitoxicity.