J. Microbiol. Biotechnol. (2010), 20(2), 319–324 doi: 10.4014/jmb.0905.05035 First published online 5 December 2009

Antifungal Activities of Ethanolic Extract from Seed Cake

Saetae, Donlaporn and Worapot Suntornsuk*

Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Science, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, Bangmod, Thungkru, Bangkok 10140, Thailand Received: May 19, 2009 / Revised: September 1, 2009 / Accepted: September 14, 2009

Phorbol ester extraction was carried out from Jatropha sp., which causes Azolla disease [11]. The chemicals curcas seed cake, a by-product from the biodiesel fuel responsible for those effects were suggested to be phorbol industry. Four repeated extractions from 5 g of J. curcas esters in the extract [14]. Goel et al. [12] also state that seed cake using 15 ml of 90% (v/v) ethanol and a shaking some derivatives of phorbol esters are known to have speed of 150 rpm gave the highest yield of phorbol esters. antimicrobial and antitumor properties, as well as molluscicidal The ethanolic extract of J. curcas seed cake showed and insecticidal effects. antifungal activities against important fungal phytopathogens: Phorbol esters are diterpenes that contain 20 carbon Fusarium oxysporum, Pythium aphanidermatum, Lasiodiplodia atoms made up of four isoprene units [18]. They are generally theobromae, Curvularia lunata, Fusarium semitectum, found in species of the families Euphorbiaceae and Colletotrichum capsici, and Colletotrichum gloeosporioides. Thymelaeceae. Recently, various forms of phorbol esters have The extract contained phorbol esters mainly responsible been isolated from J. curcas aerial parts and seed oil [16, for antifungal activities. The extract could therefore be 26, 29]. Phorbol esters become toxic since they have biological used as an antifungal agent for agricultural applications. effects that include skin inflammation, tumor promotion, Keywords: Phorbol esters, Jatropha curcas, antifungal activity, tissue damage, activation of blood platelets, lymphocyte seed cake mitogenesis, prostaglandin production, and stimulation of degranulation in neutrophils in living cells [3, 12]. J. curcas seed cake is generated in considerable quantities as a by-product of J. curcas seed oil extraction. This by- Jatropha curcas is an industrial crop that belongs to the product cannot be utilized owing to the presence of family Euphorbiaceae and has a long history of cultivation antinutritional factors and toxic compounds. These toxic in tropical America, Africa, and Asia [17]. Since its seed compounds could be, however, isolated to be applied to kernels contain a high amount of oil [58-60% (w/w)] [2], agricultural applications. The compounds, especially phorbol the seeds serve as a potential source of biodiesel fuel esters, can be extracted from J. curcas seed by using currently being used in India, Thailand, and other South methanol and dichloromethane as an extractant [23, 24]. East Asian countries. The seeds also contain high protein, Those solvents, however, are both harmful and relatively antinutritional factors including trypsin inhibitor, lectin, expensive. Ethanol is an organic solvent that is normally saponin, and phytic acid, and toxic compounds called used for extractions from various plant parts, such as phorbol esters [24]. Funtumia elastica bark extract, Mallotus oppositifolius It has been known that parts of J. curcas can be used for leave extract [1], Casearia sylvestris leave extract [32], a wide range of purposes. Extracts from various parts of J. and Opuntia ficus-indica stem extract [20]. It has never curcas, such as seeds, seed oil, and leaves, have shown been, however, used for phorbol ester extraction from J. molluscicidal, insecticidal, and fungicidal properties [21, curcas parts. In addition, to our knowledge, the extract 25, 27, 30, 34]. J. curcas extracts were found to be able to from J. curcas seed cake has not been studied for antifungal inh