The essential oil obtained by hydro-distillation of Aegle marmelos (L.) Correa leaves were analyzed by GC/MS yield (0.9% v/w). Twenty seven components were identified representing 97.76% of the total oil composition. The major components were α-phellenderene (20.97%), α-pinene (17.76%) and δ-carene (16.37%) and other abundant components asγ-cadinene (8.01%), trans-2-hydroxycinnmic acid (6.85%) and β-myrcene (4.32%). The essential oil exhibited significant antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacteria as Streptococcus faecalis with inhibition zone (30 mm) and Gram-negative bacteria as Pseudomonas aeruginosa (28 mm). Moreover, moderate activity was observed against Bacillus subtilis (23mm), Staphylococcus aureus (23mm), Sarcina lutea (20mm), Arthrobacter citreus (20 mm) and Escherichia coli (25mm) in comparison with antibiotics. The antifungal activity against Aspergillus niger (30 mm) and Candida albicans (30 mm) was higher than the antifungal antibiotics. Moreover, the oil inhibited the germination of Aspergillus niger and Fusarium oxysporum spores at different concentrations.

No abstract

No abstract

This study demonstrates the effect of cultivation conditions on the production of natamycin. Of these conditions, the effect of oxygen limitation and type of inoculum were extensively investigated. Increasing the shaking speed and decreasing the medium volume improved both the volumetric and specific natamycin production. Also, decreasing the dissolved oxygen level in the cultivation medium through the addition of soluble biopolymer (alginate) resulted in a significant decrease in the natamycin yield without effect on the cell growth. On the other hand, spore inoculum yielded higher concentration of natamycin compared to the vegetative cells by about 40%. The maximal cell productivity based on biomass [Yp/x] of about 0.4 [g/g] was obtained by using shake flask of 50 ml working volume agitated at 200 rpm and the inoculum was in the form of spore 2 x 10(8) spores/ml. These results showed that the production process of natamycin is highly dependent on oxygen level in the cultivation medium and type of inoculum as well.

No abstract