The Antifungal activity of alcohol extract of Peganum harmala seeds

Abstract

The study was conducted to evaluate the inhibition activity of alcohol extract of Peganum harmala seeds in some
pathogenic fungi (Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus and Penicillium spp.), which was isolated in food research
center/ Ministry of Science and Technology. Results revealed that alcohol extract of Peganum harmala seeds was
inhibited the growth of all kind of fungi under study at the extract concentrations (0.012,0.05, 0.25,0.5,1,5,20,50,
100 ,200 and 300 mg/ml), colonies diameters for Aspergillus niger was 27, 25 mm at the concentrations 0.012 and
0.05 mg/ml respectively in the comparison with its colonies diameter in the control group which was 38 mm for
both concentrations, and it was 26,21 mm for Aspergillus flavus at the same concentration (0.012 and 0.05 mg/ml)
respectively, whereas the colonies diameter was decreased to 9,7 mm for Penicillium spp. at 0.012 and 0.05 mg/ml
of alcohol extract respectively. In general, the inhibition activity of Peganum harmala seeds alcohol extract was
increased with the increasing of extract concentrations. The growth rate of all kinds of fungi under study was
completely inhibited at 0.25mg/ml concentration and above.