Antifungal Activity of the Essential Oil Extracted from Zanthoxylum piperitum Seeds Against Aspergillus flavus

Abstract

The antifungal activity of essential oil extracted from Zanthoxylum piperitum seeds was tested and the oil'\s potential as a food preservative was evaluated. The main chemical components determined in the oil were β-phelladrene (23.2%), sabinene (14.6%), and brevifolin (11.9%). The oil'\s antifungal activity was tested in solid and liquid cultures of aflatoxigenic Aspergillus flavus. The minimum inhibitory concentration of oil was 4.5 µL/mL. The possible actions against A. flavus are distortion in conidial heads and decrease of hyphal diameters as observed under a light microscope. A reduction in the ergosterol content in fungal plasma membrane by 34.41 % also occurred. The use of this essential oil as an antifungal coat was tested on dried bird chili. The essential oil at 4.5 and 9.0 µL/mL reduced fungal development on chili peel to 45.20 % and 89.32 %, respectively. Thus, application as a food preservative is possible.