Antifungal activity of Cinnamomum zeylanicum and Eucalyptus microtheca crude extracts against food spoilage fungi

Abstract EN

The antifungal activity of barks of Cinnamomum zeylanicum and leaves of Eucalyptus microtheca crude extracts were tested in vitro by agar well diffusion method against Penicillium digitatum and Aspergillus niger fungi.

Alcoholic (methanolic and ethanolic) and aqueous crude extracts were tested to evaluate for their antifungal activities.

Two broad spectrum antibiotics, Chloramphenicol and Ciprofloxacillin, were used for comparison.

Both plant crude extracts demonstrated antifungal activity.

When compare extracts of the two plants, C.

zeylanicum extracts showed higher inhibition activity than E.

microtheca extracts.

Alcoholic extracts of both plants significantly inhibited the mycelial growth of P.

digitatum and A.

niger fungi more than their aqueous extracts.

Methanolic extracts of both plants showed higher inhibition activity than ethanolic extracts.

Based on final concentration, the alcoholic extracts of both plants showed moderate to strong (15-29) mm antifungal activity against both fungi.

Methanolic extracts exhibited the highest antifungal activity (19-29) mm, followed by ethanolic extracts (15-27) mm, while the least activity was observed by the aqueous extract (6-15) mm.

P.

digitatum was the most affected by all crude extracts and antibiotics.

The Phytochemical analysis revealed the presence of wide range of bioactive constituents like flavonoids, tannins, alkaloids, saponins, terpenes, steroids and essential oil.

The ability of the extracts to inhibit the growth of the two fungi is an indication of the antifungal potential of cinnamon and eucalyptus parts, which makes them candidate for production of antifungal agents.