International Science Community Association International Research Journal of Biological Sciences 2278 - 3202 1 4 2012 08 10 Chemical Composition and Antifungal activity of Essential oil of Fresh leaves of Ocimum gratissimum from Benin against six Mycotoxigenic Fungi isolated from traditional cheese wagashi 22 27 EN Swaminathan C. 1 Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Agricultural College and Research Institute, Madurai – 625 104, TN, INDIA VijendraRaoR. 2 Wood Properties and Uses division, Institute of Wood Science and Technology, Bengaluru – 560 003, Karnataka, INDIA Shashikala S. 3 Masih Usha 1 Department of Botany, Mata Jija Bai Govt. Girls P.G. College, Indore, MP, INDIA ShrimaliRagini 2 Department of Microbiology, I.K. Science College Indore, MP, INDIA Naqvi S.M.A 3 Department of Botany, I. K. Science College Indore, MP, INDIA Mehta Jitendra 1 Microbiology and Pathology Division, Vital Biotech Research Institute, University of Kota, Kota- 324009, Rajasthan, INDIA DhakerJayraj Kiran 2 Kavia Ambika 3 Sen Priya 4 KaushalNeha 5 Datta Sakshi 6 QuadrosGoldin 1 B.N. Bandodkar College of Science, Chendani, Thane 400601, Maharashtra, INDIA Athalye R.P. 2 álim Ali Centre for Ornithology and Natural History (SACON), Anaikatti Post, Coimbatore 641108, Tamil Nadu, INDIA Philippe Sessou 1 Laboratoire de Recherche en Biologie Appliquée (LARBA), Ecole Polytechnique d’Abomey-Calavi, Université d’Abomey-Calavi, Cotonou, BENIN Souaïbou Farougou 2 Laboratoire d’Etude et de Recherche en Chimie Appliquée (LERCA), Ecole Polytechnique d’Abomey-Calavi (EPAC), Cotonou, BENIN Guy Alitonou 3 Laboratoire de Microbiologie et de Biotechnologie Alimentaire, Faculté des Sciences Agronomiques (FSA), Cotonou, BENIN Sébastien Djenontin Tindo 4 Boniface Yèhouénou 5 Paulin Azokpota 6 Issaka Youssao 7 Dominique Sohounhloué 8 > Research Paper 2012 6 18 2012 08 10 Aromatic plants are traditionally used for seasoning and prolongation of shelf life of food. The majority of their properties are due to the essential oils produced by their secondary metabolism. Essentials oils could guarantee food safety in preserved against foods pathogenic and adulterated microorganisms. Technological application of essential oils, as natural sanitizing agents, requires the definition of optimal conditions. The aim of the present work was to evaluate some antifungal activity parameters as mycelial growth inhibition, minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum fungicidal concentration (MFC) of Ocimum gratissimum essential oil against Aspergillus (flavus and tamarii), Fusarium (poae and verticillioides) and Penicillium (citrinum and griseofulvum) species isolated from traditional cheese wagashi. The essential oil obtained by hydrodistillation of leaves of Ocimum gratissimum (Lamiaceae) collected in Abomey-Calavi (Atlantic, Southern Benin) was analyzed using capillary GC and GC/MS. The major compounds of the EO were thymol, g-terpinene and p-cymene (28.1, 21.3 and 16.5% respectively). The evaluation of antifungal activity of this oil has shown a significant fungistatic activity against all species tested with a MIC ranged from 800 to 1000 mg/L due probably to the prominent concentration of thymol in this EO. The results have shown the possibility of exploiting Ocimum gratissimum essential oil in the fight against moulds species responsible for biodeterioration of stored wagashi. Copyright@ International Science Community Association