Antifungal Activity of Nine Medicinal Plants against Aspergillus species from Cocoa Beans (Theobroma cacao)

Aims: The study was to screen the activities of nine medicinal plants against Aspergillus species isolated from stored cocoa bean seeds collected in Akure, Owo, Ondo, Ile-Oluji, Ikpenmen, and Oba-Akoko, all in Ondo State, Nigeria with a view to getting a potent, cheap antifungal plant that is easily available and capable of halting fungal infestation and subsequent mycotoxin production.

Place and Duration: The study was carried out in Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko between July, 2014 to November, 2014.

Methodology: Inhibitory activities of locally sourced plant parts were tested against nine Aspergillus species isolated from cocoa bean seeds from Ondo State, Nigeria. Methanolic extraction of the plant parts yielded crude extracts which were tested against the fungal species using the food poison method and filter disc methods.

Results: Extraction of phytochemicals showed that sweet potato had the highest yield of 13% with a creamy coloration. Radial growth of Aspergillus foetidus was 12 mm at 24 h incubation while A. niger aggregate and A. aculeatus almost overgrew their plates at 72 h with 42 mm radii. The extracts of bitter leaf did not appreciably stop growth of the fungi as it did not inhibit A. niger aggregate, A. aculeatus, A. nidulans, A. carbonarius and A. glaucus. Lippia alba resisted the growth of all the fungi at very high percentages except A. fumigatus at 10±0.9% inhibition.

Conclusion: The study showed that plant extracts possesses antifungal potentials and so their continued use in traditional everyday medicine justified.