Mechanism of Action of Coumarin against Candida albicans by SEM/TEM Analysis

Gunawan Pamudji Widodo (1Faculty of Pharmacy, Universitas Setia Budi, Jalan Letjen. Sutoyo, Mojosongo Surakarta, Jawa Tengah 57127, Indonesia)
Elin Yulinah Sukandar (2Pharmacology-Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Jalan Ganesha 10 Bandung, Jawa Barat 40132, Indonesia)
I Ketut Adnyana (2Pharmacology-Clinical Pharmacy, School of Pharmacy, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Jalan Ganesha 10 Bandung, Jawa Barat 40132, Indonesia)
Sukrasno Sukrasno (3Biological Chemistry, School of Pharmacy, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Jalan Ganesha 10 Bandung, Jawa Barat 40132, Indonesia)

Journal of Mathematical and Fundamental Sciences
Vol. 44 No. 2 (2012)

The aim of this study was to identify the antifungal activity of coumarin isolated from Ageratum conyzoides L. leaves and to observe its influence on Candida albicans cells by scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). Antifungal activity testing with the disk diffusion method showed coumarin was active toward pathogenic fungus Candida albicans with an MIC value of coumarin of 125 g mL-1. The results show that this compound damaged the cell by pores formation on the cell wall. Death of cells occurred due to leakage and necrosis of cytoplasmic content.