Effects of Clitoria ternatea leaf extract on growth and morphogenesis of Aspergillus niger

Microsc Microanal. 2009 Aug;15(4):366-72. doi: 10.1017/S1431927609090783.

Abstract

Clitoria ternatea is known for its antimicrobial activity but the antifungal effects of leaf extract on growth and morphogenesis of Aspergillus niger have not been observed. The extract showed a favorable antifungal activity against A. niger with a minimum inhibition concentration 0.8 mg/mL and minimum fungicidal concentration 1.6 mg/mL, respectively. The leaf extract exhibited considerable antifungal activity against filamentous fungi in a dose-dependent manner with 0.4 mg/mL IC50 value on hyphal growth of A. niger. The main changes observed under scanning electron microscopy after C. ternatea extract treatment were loss of cytoplasm in fungal hyphae and the hyphal wall and its diameter became markedly thinner, distorted, and resulted in cell wall disruption. In addition, conidiophore alterations were also observed when A. niger was treated with C. ternatea leaf extract.

MeSH terms

  • Antifungal Agents / isolation & purification*
  • Antifungal Agents / pharmacology*
  • Aspergillus niger / cytology
  • Aspergillus niger / drug effects*
  • Aspergillus niger / growth & development
  • Cell Division / drug effects
  • Clitoria / chemistry*
  • Cytoplasm / ultrastructure
  • Hyphae / ultrastructure
  • Inhibitory Concentration 50
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Microbial Viability / drug effects
  • Microscopy, Electron, Scanning
  • Morphogenesis / drug effects
  • Plant Extracts / isolation & purification*
  • Plant Extracts / pharmacology*
  • Plant Leaves / chemistry*

Substances

  • Antifungal Agents
  • Plant Extracts