Dillenia retusa(Godapara) and Aloe vera(Komarika) as a Promising Antimicrobial Agent Against Skin Infections: a Mini-Review

Abstract

Dillenia retusa (Godapara) is an endemic medicinal plant in Sri Lanka and Aloe vera (Komarika) is a succulent plant that probably originated in Northern Africa exhibiting different biological activities. These medicinal plants are an important source of bioactive metabolites in drug development. Skin infection is a global public health issue caused by various microorganisms. Due to the toxic activity and resistance to antimicrobial drugs, the world is focusing to search for effective natural-based antimicrobial drugs to combat microbial diseases. Among the herbal plant, natural bioactive compounds are abundant in Dillenia retusa and Aloe vera with the potential in the application as active ingredients in drugs. Bioactive compounds present in Dillenia retusa such as flavonoids, tannins, and terpenoids are responsible to impart antimicrobial activity through several mechanisms including the inhibition of microbial metabolism, biofilm formation, membrane function, and extracellular microbial enzyme synthesis. Similarly, bioactive compounds present in Aloe vera such as polysaccharides, phenols, and flavonoids have been linked with antimicrobial activity. Therefore, the present review focuses on the different antimicrobial mechanisms of bioactive compounds present in Dillenia retusa and Aloe vera.

Keywords- Dillenia retusa, Aloe vera, Anti-bacterial, Anti-fungal, and Skin infections.