Preliminary Screening of Some Nutraceuticals as Aflatoxin (Aspergillus flavus) Reduction Agents Using In Vitro growth Inhibition Technique

Abstract

The following nutraceuticals: Moringa oleifera Lam., Garlic (Allium sativum) and Ginger (Zinger officinale) were screened for their possible use as Aflatoxin (Aspergillus flavus) reduction agents by extracting their photochemical constituent’s using aqueous and methanol extraction which were used as inhibitors of A. flavus . The results showed the presence of tannins, steroides, cardiac glycosides, anthraquinone, flavonoids, alkaloids terpenes and saponins in all the tested nutraceuticals. Methanol extraction had highest concentration of the phytochemical constituents in each and the growth inhibition zone of A. Flavus showed that the extracts of Moringa oleifera leaves, Garlic (Allium sativum L) and Ginger (Zingiber officinale) inhibit the growth of A. flavus in methanol extract, while aqueous extraction showed no zone of inhibition. The sensitivity results obtained revealed significant (p>0.05) difference on zones of inhibition at different concentrations of 12.5, 25, 50, 100 and 200mg/ml of the extracts of Moringa oleifera leaves (A), Garlic (B) and Ginger (C) and for methanol extracts (A), (B) and (C) at concentration of 12.5mg/ml. The highest zones of inhibition is extract (C) at 200mg/ml. The constituents in these nutraceuticals and the sensitivity results obtained indicates that these nutraceuticaals could be used as phytogenic feed additive for the inhibition of growth of mycotoxins in feeds