Abstract

SCREENING OF ANTIFUNGAL ACTIVITY OF TERMINALIA ARJUNA LEAF EXTRACTS AGAINST ASPERGILLUS FLAVUS

Subhashree Mohapatra and Sunita Bhatnagar*

ABSTRACT

Leaf extracts of Terminalia arjuna were used for antifungal activity against soil pathogen Aspergillus flavus. Four solvent extracts were prepared, these were hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, methanol. Antifungal activity was assessed using radical growth method, agar well diffusion, biomass reduction and aflatoxin content inhibition by the extracts. Chloroform extract showed mild activity in radical growth method at a higher dose of 2000 microgram/ml on day 2 followed by hexane extract but gradually decreased with time. In agar well diffusion method maximum zone of inhibition was observed in methanolic extract. Methanol extract was able to reduce the aflatoxin content by 49 percent when compared with the control samples.

Keywords: Terminalia arjuna, Antifungal activity, Agar well diffusion, Aspergillus flavus, aflatoxin.