title: Inhibitory effect of the essential oil of Curcuma longa L. and curcumin on aflatoxin production by Aspergillus flavus Link.
abstract: Aflatoxins are highly toxic, mutagenic, teratogenic and carcinogenic mycotoxins. Consumption of aflatoxin-contaminated food and commodities poses serious hazards to the health of humans and animals. Turmeric, Curcuma longa L., is a native plant of Southeast Asia and has antimicrobial, antioxidant and antifungal properties. This paper reports the antiaflatoxigenic activities of the essential oil of C. longa and curcumin. The medium tests were prepared with the oil of C. longa, and the curcumin standard at concentrations varied from 0.01% to 5.0%. All doses of the essential oil of the plant and the curcumin standard interfered with mycotoxin production. Both the essential oil and curcumin significantly inhibited the production of aflatoxins; the 0.5% level had a greater than 96% inhibitory effect. The levels of aflatoxin B(1) (AFB(1)) production were 1.0 and 42.7 μg/mL, respectively, for the samples treated with the essential oil of C. longa L. and curcumin at a concentration of 0.5%.
authors.affiliation: Department of Basic Health Sciences, State University of Maringá, Maringá 87020-900, Brazil.
authors.forename: Flavio Dias
authors.initials: FD
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kemmelmeier
authors.forename: Carla Cristina
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Arrotéia
authors.forename: Christiane Luciana
authors.initials: CL
authors.lastname: da Costa
authors.forename: Carlos Augusto
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Mallmann
authors.forename: Vanderly
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Janeiro
authors.forename: Francine Maery Dias
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Ferreira
authors.forename: Simone Aparecida Galerani
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Mossini
authors.forename: Expedito Leite
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Miguel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Machinski
mesh_terms: D000348:Aflatoxins / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000975:Antioxidants / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology; D001231:Aspergillus flavus / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D030024:Curcuma / Q000737:chemistry*; D015536:Down-Regulation / Q000187:drug effects; D009822:Oils, Volatile / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*; D010938:Plant Oils / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D000348:Aflatoxins; D000935:Antifungal Agents; D000975:Antioxidants; D009822:Oils, Volatile; D010938:Plant Oils