DETERMINATION OF REDUCTION IN CITRININ PRODUCTION BY RESPONSE SURFACE METHODOLOGY USINGAQUEOUS LEAF EXTRACT OF NEPETABRACTEATA

Abstract

Citrinin (mycotoxin), a nephrotoxic agent produced by many fungal strains belonging to the genera Penicillium, Aspergillus, and Monascus. Generally found in stored grains and after their harvest. The objective of the present investigation was to study and optimize the conditions for maximum inhibition of citrinin and fungal biomass by using aqueous leaf extract of Nepetabracteataunder laboratory conditions by Penicilliumcitrinum.Optimization of culture conditions was carried out using BoxBehnken method of response surface methodology. Extent of inhibition of citrinin was carried out using HPLC and reduction in fungal biomass was carried out using dry cell weight after comparing with controls. Optimized culture conditions as per the point prediction tool were found to be 10.32mg/L for concentration of extractNbracteata, ten days of incubation period and temperature of 24.5 °C resulted in maximum inhibition of Citrinin. These optimized values of tested parameters were and compared with control citrinin production (239.85 mg/L) and dry cell weight production (386.02mgAn average of 88.38±2.09% inhibition of citrinin and 79.89±0.94% of dry cell weight was obtained in an optimized medium at 10 d of fermentation with 95.26 % and 92.89% validity, respectively.