Antifungal activity of ajoene, a constituent of garlic (Allium sativum)

Ajoene, a compound derived from garlic (Allium sativum L.), inhibited spore germination of some fungi, namely, Alternaria solani, Alternaria tenuissima, Alternaria triticina, Alternaria sp., Colletotrichum sp., Curvularia sp., Fusarium lini, Fusarium oxysporum, Fusarium semitectum, and Fusarium udum, which cause serious diseases in some important crop plants in India. The compound was very effective in checking spore germination at a concentration of 25 μg/mL in some of the above fungi and, in most cases, there was 100% inhibition of germination at 100 μg/mL. It is quite likely that the compound may be useful in controlling disease(s) under field conditions.