Abstract:
Curative dependence on season of harvest for medicinal plants is an alleged claim by traditional health
practitioners. This study aimed to verify these claims by investigating antifungal activity and chemical
profiles of two traditionally used medicinal plant species: Turraea holstii and Clausena anisata
harvested in the rainy and dry seasons, with a view of establishing appropriate the season for optimal
activity. The antifungal activities were determined by Broth micro-dilution method, while chemical
profiling of the extracts from the plant materials was done by gas chromatography (GC). Results
indicated that extracts of plant materials harvested in dry season showed enhanced antifungal activity
as compared to extracts of plant materials harvested in the rainy season, highest potency being 0.39
mg/mL, observed on dichloromethane fractions of both T. holstii and C. anisata. The GC
chromatograms showed a general increase in the number and amount of chemical species for extracts
of plant materials harvested in dry season as compared to extracts of plant materials harvested in the
rainy season. Thus, it is concluded that because the dry season produces the best curative activity,
harvesting should focus on this season.
