PHYTOCHEMICAL ANALYSIS AND ANTIFUNGALACTIVITY OF PARKIA BIGLOBOSA AND EUCALYPTUS CAMALDULENSIS (STEU.)

Abstract

Plants offer a promising source of bioactive compounds for developing antimicrobial agents, amid growing concerns about harmful chemical fungicides, driving a shift towards organic and cost-effective solutions. This study assessed the potential of Parkia biglobosa and Eucalyptus camaldulensis leaf extracts as antifungal agents against sorghum fungal contaminants. Fresh leaves of P. biglobosa and E. camaldulensis were collected, authenticated and extracted using the cold maceration method. Following the determination of the extracts' phytochemical profiles by conventional procedures, compounds were identified and quantified using gas chromatography- mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis. The agar well diffusion method was used to assess the extracts' antifungal efficacy against fungus species isolated from sorghum grains. A wide variety of bioactive chemicals were found in the ethanolic leaf extracts during phytochemical screening in both extracts. E. camaldulensis displayed higher concentrations of phenols (21.32mg/g), alkaloids (7.29mg/g), saponins (13.71mg/g), tannins (12.88mg/g), carbohydrates (18.87mg/g), and reducing sugars (8.77mg/g) while P. biglobosa extracts were richer in flavonoids (13.01mg/g), terpenoids (8.61mg/g), and glycosides (5.92mg/g). GC-MS analysis identified a various compound in the extracts, with 32 detected in E. camaldulensis and 27 in P. biglobosa. Notably, E. camaldulensis contained compounds like eugenol, 4-(3-hydroxybutyl) phenol, and 1,2-dehydroviridiflorol, while P. biglobosa contained 1,2,3-benzenetriol, 2-naphthalenol, and oleic acid. The antifungal activity was concentration dependent as inhibition zones increases with increasing concentration of the extract. E. camaldulensis displayed higher activity, inhibiting the growth of P. glandicola (13 mm), F. solani (16 mm), A. glaucus (13 mm), Curvularia sp. (10 mm), and A. niger (10 mm) at 100 mg/ml. P. biglobosa extract exhibited some inhibitory effects against specific fungi, including P. glandicola (14 mm), A. glaucus (15 mm), and A. flavus (8 mm) at the same concentration. The study showed the promising antifungal potential of P. biglobosa and E. camaldulensis leaf extracts against sorghum fungal contaminants. The results of the GC-MS analysis and phytochemical screening identified a number of bioactive chemicals, indicating that the plant extracts could be used as a sustainable, affordable, and environmentally friendly substitute for synthetic fungicides in the management of fungal growth in sorghum grains.