ANTIFUNGAL FRACTIONS AND COMPOUNDS FROM UNCRUSHED GREEN LEAVES OF AZADIRACHTA-INDICA

Using the groundnut rust disease (causal agent Puccinia arachidis Speg .) as the bioassay system, two limonoids from the neem tree (Azadirach ta indica A. Juss.) which evinced antifungal activity, were isolated t hrough extraction, solvent fractionation and HPLC. A polar extract der ived through solvent partitioning reduced the disease intensity consid erably. The polar extract and the impure HPLC fractions were more effe ctive than the pure compounds in reducing the pustule numbers and, con sequently, the disease severity.