ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF ENDOPHYTIC FUNGI FROM MEDICINAL PLANT CRESCENTIA CUJETE L. AND THEIR ANTIBACTERIAL, ANTIOXIDANT AND ANTICANCER PROPERTIES
Objective: The present study was aimed to isolate endophytic fungi from ethano-medicinally important plant Crescentia cujete L. in view to screen their bioactive principles towards different pharmacological applications. Methods: A total of four morphologically distinct endophytic fungi were isolated and identified via analyzing their ITS region of 5.8s rRNA and sequences were submitted in Genbank. The recovered four isolates were further cultivated in Czapek-Dox broth, from this extra cellular bioactive metabolites has been extracted using ethyl acetate for their different biological activities. DPPH assay was performed to measure the free-radical scavenging activity of extracts and antibacterial property was assessed through disc diffusion method. On the other hand, the cytotoxic potential of fungal extracts against hepatocellular carcinoma cell lines (HepG2) was studied by MTT assay, AO-EB and Hoechest staining methods under in vitro condition. Most importantly, the active compounds present in the solvent extracts were identified through GC-MS analysis.Results: The fungal extracts showed a strong growth inhibitory effect against bacterial human pathogens and excellent free radical scavenging activity. It also exhibits excellent antiproliferative effect against hepatocellular carcinoma cells, further it was observed that the cell death was primarily mediated by apoptosis. The active compounds present in the extracts were identified through GC-MS analysis, which depicts the presence of aspirin and diethyl phthalate as the major constituents.Conclusion: Overall, this study strongly suggests that extracts of isolated endophytic fungi from C. cujete L. can be developed as a lead/drug molecule in view of pharmaceutical context.Â
