• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.679-682
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• 2002

The alkaloids, piperlongumine, piperine, pipernonaline, and piperoctadecalidine, isolated from Piper longum L., were found to inhibit the biosynthesis of aflatoxin $B_1$ (AF$B_1$) in Aspergillus flavus WRRC 3-90-42-12. Piperlongumine was the most active among the compounds tested, with a 96% inhibition of AF$B_1$biosynthesis at 0.2% (w/v) supplement in a potato dextrose agar (PDA) medium. The three other piperidine alkaloids, pipeline, pipernonaline, and piperoctadecalidine, also inhibited the biosynthesis of AF$B_1$. Of these three alkaloids, piperoctadecalidine exhibited a potent inhibitory activity with a 100% inhibition of AF$B_1$ production at 0.7% (w/v) supplement in a PDA medium. Therefore, piperlongumine and piperoctadecalidine could be used as antiaflatoxigenic agents in agricultural industries. To determine the antiaflatoxigenic mode of action of piperlongumine, further studies are needed.