In vitro and In vivo Assessment of Banana Peel Powder as an Aflatoxins Biosorbent

SURVEY of fungi in raw peanut seeds by washing technique method resulted in isolation of nine fungal species. The aflatoxigenic Aspergillus fiavus was the most frequently isolated species in the isolation plates. Molecular identification confirms that it is identical to A.flavus available in database in NCBI GenBank with similarity of 100%. The aflatoxins (AFs) produced in the fermentation medium of A. flavus were extracted and estimated by HPLC to be contain B1, B2, G1, G2 AFs. Banana peel powder, prepared from samples collected from juice markets, proved to be of high adsorption capacity to aflatoxins in concentration depending manner of either peel or aflatoxins. In vivo histopathological studies using 6 albino rats groups, an alteration in rats treated with single aflatoxin concentrations (G2 or G3) such as inflammation, fibrosis, expanded portal tract and degeneration of hepatocytes in liver and expanded glomeruli, vacuolation & fatty degeneration in renal tubules were detected in kidney. However, banana peel treated singly showing normal hepatocytes and central vein in liver as well as normal tubules and glomeruli in kidney. Co-addition of AFs with banana peel powder to rat diet showing significant reduction in the harmful effect of AFs added singly in liver and kidney tissues. This study indicated also that the liver was highly affected by AFs than kidney.