Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides L.) oil exhibits antifungal activity against Aspergillus flavus via disrupting mitochondrial function

The present study sought to examine how sea buckthorn (SBT) oil impacts mitochondrial and overall functionality in Aspergillus flavus. In order to assess the effect of SBT oil, it was used to treat mycelia across a range of concentrations, after which mitochondrial structures were imaged via transmission electron microscopy (TEM). In order to explore the functional impact of this treatment, we additionally examined reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, enzyme activity, and shifts in mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) following treatment. We found that SBT oil induced mitochondrial damage in A. flavus in a dose-dependent manner, resulting in altered succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) and adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) activity, reduced ΔΨm levels, and markedly elevated MDA and ROS levels. Together, these findings suggest that SBT oil can mediate antifungal activity against A. flavus through a mechanism associated with its ability to disrupt the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle and mitochondrial potential, leading to MDA and ROS accumulation.