In vitro Antifungal activity of lemongrass (Cymbopogon citratus) leaf extracts

Abstract

Colletotrichum musae is a plant pathogen primarary affecting the genus musa. which includes bananas and plantains. It is best known as to cause of anthracnose (the black and brown rots) indicating ripeness in banana and affecting the quality of fruits. Aspergillus niger contaminant of food and produces black mould on certain fruits and vegetables such as grapes apricots onions and peanuts. Lemongrass is an herb which belongs to gramineae family. Scientifically it is called as Cymbopogon citratus. The prefix lemon owes to its typical lemon like odour, due to presence of citral a cyclic monoterpene. Lemongrass has phytoconstituents such as tannins, flavanoids, alkaloids, and various essential oils in this herb. Secondary active metabolites of a number of components have also been implicated in the varied pharmalogical effects of this plant. Lemongrass possesses various antimicrobial properties. The extracts of lemon grass leaves (fresh and dried) with cold and hot water, solvents like ethanol and methanol were screened for its antifungal activity against Aspergillus niger (a soil habitat) and colletotrichum musae (a plant pathogen) by agar well method at three different concentration whereas methanol dried leaves extract shown a greater zone of inhibition (10.90 mm) followed by methanol fresh leaves extract (10.20 mm) in Aspergillus niger whereas least zone of inhibition was observed in ethanol fresh leaves extract (5.20mm) in colletotrichum musae.