Inhibitory effects of condiments and herbal drugs on the growth and toxin production of toxigenic fungi.

The effects of thirteen kinds of powdered herbal drugs and seven kinds of commercial dry condiments on the growth and toxin production of Aspergillus parasiticus, A. flavus, A. ochraceus, and A. versicolor were observed by introducing these substances into culture media for mycotoxin production. Of the twenty samples tested, cinnamon bark completely inhibited the fungal growth, while the others only inhibited the toxin production. The inhibitors were easily extracted from the samples with solvents such as hot water, chloroform, or ethanol. The extracts from coptis, philodendron bark, mustard, green tea leaves, and zanthoxylum completely inhibited the aflatoxin production of A. parasiticus, however, they had little or no inhibitory effect against A. flavus.