Antifungal potential of triphala churna ingredients against Aspergillus species associated with them during storage

Abstract

The present study describes the antifungal potential of fruit and powdered ingredents of triphala chuma, ie. Emblica officinalis (Garetn.) (Amla), Teminalia bellirica (Gaem.) Roxb. (Baheda) and Teminalia chebula (Retz.) (Hamda), collected kom the market of Gwalior (M.P.), India. Water extracts of all the fruits and powdered samples were tested (in vitro) for their antifungal activities by poisoned food technique against different Aspergillus species (A.fZavus, A. fumigahrs, A. versicolor, A. terreus and A. niger) associated with them during storage. All extracts displayed varied levels i e veIy low to veIy high antifungal activities on four Aspergillus species. The aqueous extracts of fresh fruits (37.96+7.59%) was obsenred to be most effective than dry fruits (34.95+7.59%) and powder (25.07+6.05%). Teminalia chebula (fresh and dry) extracts were found most active agaimt the four Aspergillus species with 49.15 and 40.8% inhibition, respectively. None of the extracts were found effective agaimt the growth of A. niger. All fruits and powdered aqueous extracts were obsenred to be ineffective agaimt the A. niger. The variability in antifungal activity of aqueous extracts in the present study may be useful to study the relatiomhp between antifungal potential of herbal dmgs and prevalence of fungal contaminant during their storage. © 2012 Asian Network for Scientific Information.