Evaluation of the fungicidal activities of Solanum Anguivi lam and euphorbia Heterophylla linn extracts on the growth of Rhizopus Stolonifer and Mucor SPP

Abstract

Food spoilage and contamination is a serious public health concern that results in food borne diseases and food insecurity that affect many people annually. Rhizopus stolonifer and Mucor spp are some of the major fungal contaminants and spoilers of food in Uganda. An in-vitro experiment was carried to evaluate the fungicidal activity of the ethanolic extracts of Solanum anguivi Lam fruits and Euphorbia heterophylla Linn leaves against the growth of R. stolonifer and Mucor spp. This study was conducted at Makerere University Department of Plant Sciences, Microbiology and Biotechnology mycology Laboratory. The fungi were isolated from soil picked at the department, purified and then identified based on colony characteristics, microscopy and a bread test. The S. anguivi fruits and E. heterophylla leaves were collected from Kyaliwajjala-Namugongo and extraction was done using maceration with ethanol as the extraction solvent. The crude ethanolic extracts were then tested against R. stolonifer and Mucor spp using the Agar well diffusion method and the minimum inhibition concentration determined. Amphotericin B was used as the positive control, both plant extracts showed no effect against R. stolonifer but showed inhibition against Mucor. spp