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Pharmacognosy 2019
March 11-12, 2019
London, UK
American Journal of Ethnomedicine
ISSN: 2348-9502
Page 44
Pharmacognosy and
Medicinal Plants
7
th
Edition of International Conference on
Ogechukwu L. Nwankwo et al., Am J Ethnomed 2019, Volume 6
DOI: 10.21767/2348-9502-C1-009
Antimicrobial and antimalarial properties of secondary
metabolites of an endophytic fungus isolated from
Azadirachta indica (meliaceae)
Ogechukwu L. Nwankwo
1
, Felix A. Onyegbule
2
and
Festus B. C. Okoye
2
1
Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Igbariam,
Anambra State, Nigeria
2
Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, Nigeria
Background information:
Natural products of
endophytic fungi have generated significant interest
in drug discovery programmes due to their immense
potential to contribute to the discovery of new
biologically active molecules.
Purpose:
This study was carried out to investigate the
antimicrobial and antimalarial properties of secondary
metabolites of an endophytic fungus isolated from
leaves of A. indica.
Method:
Endophytic fungal isolation, solid sate
fermentation in rice medium; and extraction of
secondary metabolites were carried out using standard
methods. The fungal extract was screened for
antimicrobial and antimalarial activities using the agar
well diffusion method and Peters’ 4-day suppressive
test respectively. The extract was also subjected to
HPLC analysis to identify its constituents.
Results:
At 1 mg/mL, the fungal extract inhibited the
growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus subtilis,
Escherichia coli and Candida albicans with inhibition
zone diameters of 6, 4, 5, and 4 mm respectively. Also,
at doses of 150 and 50 mg/kg/day, the extract displayed
a dose dependent suppression of Plasmodium berghei
by 89 and 83% respectively. HPLC analysis of the extract
revealed the presence of several biologically important
compounds including protocatechuic acid, ruspolinone,
dimethyl gallate, indole-3-carbaldehyde, 4-methoxy
benzaldehyde, 2-carboxymethyl-3-n-hexylmaleic acid
anhydride, pestalotioprolide F and p-hydroxy-phenyl-
acetic acid.
Conclusion:
The results of this study reveal the
potentials possessed by endophytic fungi of A. indica
as sources of biologically active compounds with
pharmaceutical importance.