Research Journal of Medicinal Plants1819-34552151-7924Science International10.3923/rjmp.2011.281.287Allium cepa), Ginger (Zingiber officinale) and Garlic (Allium sativum) against Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus niger and Cladosporium herbarum]]>TagoeD.N.A NyarkoH.D. AkpakaR. 3201153Phytochemicals present in medicinal plants have health benefits and antimicrobial activity against some pathogenic bacteria. However, little research has been undertaken on the antifungal activity of these extracts. This research aim at testing the antifungal activity of organic ethanol extracts of onion (Allium cepa), ginger (Zingiber officinale) and garlic (Allium sativum) against three fungal isolates (A. flavus, A. niger and C. herbarium) in Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA). Filtered plant extracts were obtained using ethanolic extraction method. Antifungal sensitivity testing was undertaking using the pour plate technique and results obtained by measuring diameter of fungal growth over a 7 day incubation period. All organic plant extracts inhibited growth resulting in a marked significant difference (p<0.01) in growth diameter of fungi on media with extracts compared with same fungi on Potato Dextrose Agar without extracts. Ginger had the highest antifungal activity on all test fungi with a mean diameter of 1.40 cm followed by garlic (1.70 cm) and onion (1.80 cm) respectively whilst A. niger (2.54 cm) showed the highest resistance to the plant extracts followed by A. flavus (2.50 cm) and C. herbarum (1.18 cm). All plant extracts inhibited any observable growth pattern in C. herbarum for a 2 day period and <1 cm growth diameter in A. Flavus and A. Niger whilst the least growth measurement after day one of incubation in PDA only was >2.0 cm. This study confirms the antifungal potential of these plant extracts on the test fungi and suggests the possibility of employing them in food preservation were spoilage is mainly caused by fungi.]]>Adetumbi, M.A., G.T. Javor and B.H. Lau,1986Allium sativum (garlic) inhibits lipid synthesis by Candida albicans.]]>30499501Alam, S., N. Akhter, F. Begum, M.S. Banu, M.R. Islam and M.S. Alam,2002in vitro) of some plant extracts and smoke on four fungal pathogens of different hosts.]]>5307309Azu, N.C. and R.A. Onyeagba,2007Allium cepa (onions) and Zingiber officinale (ginger) on Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi and Bacillus subtilis.]]>2007Azzouz, M.A. and L.R. Bullerman,19824512481301Brakhage, A.A.,2005Aspergillus species: Epidemiology, infection process and virulence determinants.]]>6875886Bullerman, L.B., F.Y. Lieu and S.A. Seier,19774211071109Bullerman, L.B.,19743911631165Cavallito, C.J. and J.H. Bailey,1944Allium sativum. I. Isolation, physical properties and antibacterial action.]]>6619501951Chrubasik, S., M.H. Pittler and B.D. Roufogalis,200512684701Dankert, J., T.F. Tromp, H. De Vries and H.J. Klasen,1979Allium ascalonicum, Allium cepa and Allium sativum.]]>245229239Grzanna, R., L. Lindmark and C.G. Frondoza,20058125132Habtemariam, S., A.I. Gray and P.G. Waterman,1993Premna oligotricha.]]>56140143Hasan, M.M., S.P. Chowdhury, Shahidul Alam, B. Hossain and M.S. Alam,2005812841289Hibert, S.,20062006Hube, B.,2004Candida albicans.]]>7336341Kim, E.C., J.K. Min, T.Y. Kim, S.J. Lee and H.O. Yang et al.,2005in vitro and in vivo.]]>335300308Moss, S.T.,1986pp: 76pp: 76Nielsen, K. and J. Heitman,200757143173Peraica, M., B. Radic, A. Lucic and M. Pavlovic,199977754766Rocio, M.C. and J.L. Rion,19893117125Samson, R.A., J. Houbraken, R.C. Summerbell, B. Flannigan and J.D. Miller,20012001pp: 287-292pp: 287-292Samson, R.A., J.A.M.P. Houbraken, A.F.A. Kuijpers, J.M. Frank and J.C. Frisvad,2004Aspergillus section Nigri.]]>504546Schuster, E., N. Dunn-Coleman, J. Frisvad and P. van Dijck,2002Aspergillus niger-A review.]]>59426435Sharma, A., G.M. Tewari, A.J. Shrikhande, S.R. Padwal-Desai and C. Bandyopdhyay,19794415451547Sims, J.,2001Vermani, K. and S. Garg,2002804966Weber, N.D., D.O. Anderson, J.A. North, B.K. Murray, L.D. Lawson and B.G. Huger,1992In vitro virucidal effects of Allium sativum (garlic) extract and compounds.]]>58417423Winston, C.,20082008Wood, C.D.,19886129136