Antifungal, Antiaflatoxin and Antioxidant Activity of Plant Essential Oils and Their In Vivo Efficacy in Protection of Chickpea Seeds

Abstract

This study presents the efficacy of six essential oils (EOs), viz. Carum carvi, Myristica fragrans, Melaleuca leucadendra, Cinnamomum camphora, Pelargonium odoratissimum and Cymbopogon citratus, as food preservatives based on antifungal, antiaflatoxin and antioxidant activity. The minimum inhibitory concentration of EOs against aflatoxigenic strain of Aspergillus flavus (LHP-10) and 13 other storage molds ranged between 1.25 and 6.0 μL/mL, while aflatoxin inhibition was observed at 1.0-5.0 μL/mL. EOs also exhibited free-radical scavenging activity through DPPH (2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazil) assay as IC50 value ranged between 3.96 and 96.63 μL/mL. The antifungal action of EOs was observed in terms of reduction in ergosterol content of the plasma membrane of A. flavus. The EOs provided >50% protection of chickpea samples against fungal association without affecting their germination during in vivo testing in storage containers. Based on antifungal, antiaflatoxigenic, antioxidant potential and in vivo efficacy, the tested EOs may be recommended as plant-based food preservatives. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONSSome safer alternatives are urgently required to replace prevalent synthetic preservatives that have adverse effects on consumer's health and environment. In that respect, some essential oils (EOs) have shown potency in the formulation of plantbased preservatives against food deterioration from fungi. Based on the results of the present investigation, some EOs may be recommended as plant-based preservatives in view of their antifungal potency against foodborne molds, aflatoxin secretion and as antioxidant. The EOs also showed efficacy in protecting chickpea seeds from fungal contamination during storage without affecting their viability, strengthening their formulation for practical application.

Effects of caraway and juniper essential oils on aflatoxigenic fungi growth and aflatoxins secretion in polenta

“…Research findings from Deabes, Abou El‐Soud, and Abou El‐Kassem () indicate that 200 times the concentration (1,000 ppm) is required for the inhibition of A. flavus growth (71.666%) and aflatoxin production (24.980%). However, Prakash et al () indicate that 2 times less concentration (2.0 μl/ml) of this oil completely inhibited A. flavus (LHP‐10) and aflatoxin production in SMKY broth medium. These authors state that the concentration of caraway EO was effective in protecting chickpea seeds, during 6 months of storage.…”

“…Earlier studies have indicated the antimicrobial activity of caraway and juniper essential oils (Pepeljnjak, Kosalec, Kalođera, & Blažević, 2005;Farag, Daw, & Abo-Raya, 1989;Gniewosz, Kraśniewska, Woret, Kosakowska, 2013;Khalil, Ashour, Fikry, Singab, & Salama, 2018;Prakash et al, 2016;Razzaghi-Abyaneh et al, 2009;Zheljazkov et al, 2018). However, the antimicrobial activity of an oil depends on the geographical origin of the plant, the method of production, and the strain of tested microorganisms.…”

Chemical Composition and Cosmeceutical Potential of the Essential Oil of Oncosiphon suffruticosum (L.) Källersjö

“…During an antioxidant study by the DPPH assay, the IC 50 value of the C . camphora essential oil was found to be 31.85 µL/mL, whereas that for the reference butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) was reported to be 7.6 µg/mL [ 50 ].…”

“…C. camphora oil from Nepal also showed marginal activity against B. cereus and S. aureus, with a MIC = 313 µg/mL [49]. During an antioxidant study by the DPPH assay, the IC 50 value of the C. camphora essential oil was found to be 31.85 µL/mL, whereas that for the reference butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) was reported to be 7.6 µg/mL [50].…”

Recent advances in plant‐based compounds for mitigation of mycotoxin contamination in food products: current status, challenges and perspectives

“…In general, such limitations could effectively be overcome by incorporating plant extracts and bioactive compounds into emulsion-based delivery systems techniques. Emulsification technology can increase EOs' bioactivity due to their controlled release and increased bioavailability in the food systems (Prakash et al, 2016;Wan et al, 2019Wan et al, , 2020Wang et al, 2019a). Das et al (2021) reported that the encapsulation of Pimpinella anisum EO in chitosan nano-biopolymers increased antifungal and anti-aflatoxigenic efficacy due to effective interaction with the plasma membrane as a result of the greater surface area and smaller particle size.…”