Aflatoxin B1 Detoxification Potentials of Garlic, Ginger, Cardamom, Black Cumin, and Sautéing in Ground Spice Mix Red Pepper Products.

The uses of natural plant origin bioactive compounds are emerging as a promising strategy to detoxify aflatoxin B1 (AFB1). This study aimed to explore the potential of cooking, phytochemicals content, and antioxidant activities derived from garlic, ginger, cardamom, and black cumin to detoxify AFB1 on spice mix red pepper powder (berbere) and sauté. The effectiveness of the samples was analyzed for AFB1 detoxification potential through standard methods for the examination of food and food additives. These major spices showed an AFB1 level below the detection limit. After cooking in hot water for 7 min at 85 ℃, the experimental and commercial spice mix red pepper showed the maximum AFB1 detoxification (62.13% and 65.95%, respectively). Thus, mixing major spices to produce a spice mix red pepper powder had a positive effect on AFB1 detoxification in raw and cooked spice mix red pepper samples. Total phenolic content, total flavonoid content, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl, ferric ion reducing antioxidant power, and ferrous ion chelating activity revealed good positive correlation with AFB1 detoxification at p < 0.05. The findings of this study could contribute to mitigation plans of AFB1 in spice-processing enterprises. Further study is required on the mechanism of AFB1 detoxification and safety of the detoxified products.

ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF Echinops kebericho AGAINST HUMAN PATHOGENIC BACTERIA AND FUNGI.

BACKGROUND: Traditional medicine remains the primary source of health care in developing countries. Echinops kebericho Mesfin is a well known endemic medicinal plant in Ethiopia and is traditionally used to treat both infectious and non-infectious diseases. The aim of this study was to evaluate antibacterial and antifungal activities of water, ethanol and methanol based crude extracts of E. kebericho Mesfin against selected human pathogenic bacteria and fungi. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Crude extracts of E. kebericho Mesfin were prepared by maceration method. Disc diffusion assay of the extracts was carried out in four different concentrations against three different bacterial species and two clinically isolated fungal species. Agar dilution method was used to determine minimum inhibitory concentration, minimum bactericidal and fungicidal concentrations of the extracts. RESULTS: Water based extracts exhibited the lowest antimicrobial activity when compared the ethanol and methanol based extracts (P< 0.05). Among the tested microorganisms, S. aureus, C. albicans and A. flavus were the most sensitive to alcohol based extracts. The minimum inhibitory concentration of the alcohol based extract ranged from 3.12 to 25µg/ml while those of the water based extracts were 100µg/ml and above. The lowest bactericidal and fungicidal concentrations of the ethanol and methanol based extracts were observed to be 6.25µg/ml against S. aureus and C. albicans and 37.5µg/ml against E. coli. CONCLUSIONS: The traditional use of E. kebericho by local people in treating various types of infectious and non-infectious diseases was supported by this study. Antimicrobial activity of the medicinal plant varied with those of extraction solvents and against tested microorganisms.