Cap??tulo de livro
Comparative study of the essential oil effects on the Aspergillus flavus growth
Essential Oils: Historical Significance, Chemical Composition, and Medicinal Uses and Benefits
Autor
SANTOS, VERONICA M.S.
SUSSA, F??BIO V.
GON??ALEZ, EDLAYNE
SILVA, PAULO S.C.
FELICIO, JOANA D.
Resumen
Essential oils of plant species have shown activity against a variety of pathogenic
and toxigenic fungi. The toxigenic fungi can cause a lot of damage to food commodities,
including mycotoxin production. The presence of molds and mycotoxins in food
commodities is a potential risk to health of humans and livestock. The aflatoxins,
mutagenic and carcinogenic substances, are mycotoxins produced especially by
Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus. This work reports the comparative effects of the
three essential oils leaves on growth of A. flavus and their chemical constitutions. The
essential oils of Peperomia pellucida, Leunurus sibiricus and Porophyllum ruderale were
obtained by hydrodistillation in a Clevenger-type apparatus, and their effects were
evaluated in A. flavus culture. A. flavus growth was evaluated by disk diffusion assay.
Filter paper disks containing 0.0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5, and 10.0 ??L of essential oils were used,
and commercial fungicide was the positive control. All volumes of the three essential oils
reduced the fungal growth when compared with that of the control (p < 0.05). The
essential oil of P. ruderale showed the greatest inhibition effect. L. sibiricus essential oil
showed fungicidal effect greater than that of P. pellucida essential oil (p < 0.05). The
chemical composition of the essential oils used was determined by GC-MS analysis. The use of essential oils with lower toxicity than those from synthetic products can be a good
alternative to A. flavus control.