In vitro Efficacies of Some Nigerian Medicinal Plant Extracts against Toxigenic Aspergillus flavus, A. parasiticus and A. ochraceus

The aim of this work was to find an alternative to chemical fungicides currently used in the control and prevention of activities of toxigenic Aspergillus flavus, A. parasiticus and A. ochraceus in food and feed. The antifungal activity of extracts of five medicinal plants used in native medicine in Nigeria is reported. All plant extracts were screened for their minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) against toxigenic Aspergillus flavus, A. parasiticus and A. ochraceus. Antifungi efficacies of the medicinal Plant extracts showed that maximum antifungal activity was demonstrated by ethanolic, hot and cold water extracts of Borreria verticillata, Lactuca capenisi, Colocasia esculenta, Jatropha gossy and Ageratum conyzoide. Leaves part of the five medicinal plants were investigated for antifungal activities against toxigenic Aspergillus flavus using radial growth technique. The plant extracts of Borreria verticillata inhibited the growth of the test organisms. Borreria verticillata appears to be more effective as an antifungal agent than other plant extracts. The ethanolic extracts were more effective than the cold and hot water extracts against the tested organism.