Investigations on Bioactivity of Essential Oil of Ageratum Conyzoides

Aflatoxins are highly toxic and carcinogenic metabolites produced by Aspergillus parasiticus on food and agricultural commodities. Natural products may control the production of aflatoxins. The aims of this study were to evaluate the Inhibition of Aspergillus flavus (La3228) and A. parasiticus (Ab2242) growth and their aflatoxin production exposed to the essential oil extracted from fresh leaves of Ageratum conyzoides from Bénin. Minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimal fungicidal concentration (MFC) of the oil were determined. The disc diffusion method was used to evaluate the zone of fungal growth inhibition compared to Nystatine fungicide. Essential oil was found to be strongly fungicidal and inhibitory to aflatoxin production. The oils analyzed by GC and GC/MS lead to identification of 7 components. The major components of A.conyzoides essential oil analyzed were precocene II (45.35%), precocene I (41.78%), cumarine (6.01%), and trans-caryophyllene (4.01%). Substitution of currently used antifungal and aflatoxin inhibiting chemicals by natural compounds such as essential oil of Ageratum conyzoides is recommended.