Original Research Article
Year: 2019 | Month: April-March | Volume: 4 | Issue: 2 | Pages: 29-37
Phytochemical Screening and Antifungal Activity of Solvent Extracts of Averrhoa Bilimbi Leaves against Aspergillus Niger and Rhizopus Stolonifer
Blessy George1, Dr. R. Dhivya2
1PG Student, PG and Research Department of Zoology, Nirmala College for Women, Coimbatore, Tamilnadu
2Assistant Professor, PG and Research Department of Zoology, Nirmala College for Women, Coimbatore, Tamilnadu
Corresponding Author: Dr. R. Dhivya
ABSTRACT
Background: National Academy of Sciences (NAS) report on pesticide remains on food indicated that fungicides are more of a carcinogenic risk than insecticides and herbicides combined. Therefore, synthetic fungicides are odd in our food chain, and researches are on the way to find safer substitutes. Medicinal plants remain a rich source of therapeutic agents.
Aim: The present study was determined to study the antifungal activity and phytochemicals present in the leaf extracts of the plant Averrhoa bilimbi against selected fungal strains Aspergillus niger and Rhizopus stolonifer.
Methods: Acetone, chloroform and ethanol were the solvents used for soxhlet extraction. Agar well diffusion method was used for antifungal assay and zone of inhibition was measured in millimeters. Phytochemicals of leaf extracts were assessed using standard procedures.
Results: Results revealed that ethanol extracts of A. bilimbi exhibited maximum zone of inhibition of 14 mm and 20.4 mm against A. niger and R. stolonifer respectively. Moderate activity was by chloroform extract against A. niger and acetone extract against R. stolonifer producing a zone of inhibition of 13 mm and 15.2 mm at higher concentration respectively. The extracts of A. bilimbi when tested revealed the presence of various phytochemicals.
Conclusion: The objective of new antifungal strategies is to develop drugs that combine sustainability, high efficacy, restricted toxicity, safety for humans, animals, host plants and with low production cost. So it may be concluded that the solvent extracts of present study may be used as a botanical control agent for the control of selected fungal species.
Keywords: Antifungal, Phytochemical screening, Averrhoa bilimbi, Aspergillus niger, Rhizopus stolonifer