Effect of zingiber officinale and citrus limon extracts on aspergillus flavus.

Abstract

Citrus limon, commonly known as lemon is an important medicinal plant of the family Rutaceae, ginger is a perennial herbaceous plant that produces a fleshy and articulated rhizome, with rough brownish epidermis. The effect of Zingiber officinale and Citrus limon extracts on the selected fungus was determined using paper disc diffusion method. Crude extracts of ginger and Lemon were tested for antimicrobial activity against Aspergillus niger. Ginger extract showed an inhibition zone of 1.26 mm. Lemon extract showed 2.72 mm inhibition zone. The mixture of Lemon and Ginger showed an inhibition zone of 3.22 mm. The results showed that lemon plant extract was more efficient than Ginger plant extract but the mixture was the most effective. The results of this study conclude that both ginger and lemon extracts have an effective antimicrobial activity against A. flavus however a mixture of Lemon and Ginger is more effective than individual plant extracts. Keywords: Antimicrobial activity; Inhibition zone; ginger, lemon; more effective; Rutaceae