Biological Activity and GC-MS/MS Analysis of Extracts of Endophytic Fungi Isolated from Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms

Abdel-Wareth, Marwa Tamim A. TA; Ali, Eman Abdullah M.; El-Shazly, Maha Awad

doi:10.30491/jabr.2022.359352.1559

Biological Activity and GC-MS/MS Analysis of Extracts of Endophytic Fungi Isolated from Eichhornia crassipes (Mart.) Solms

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Marwa Tamim A. TA Abdel-Wareth ¹

Eman Abdullah M. Ali ²

Maha Awad El-Shazly ³

¹ Environmental Research and Medical Malacology Division, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Giza, Egypt

² Department of Botany and Microbiology, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Giza, Egypt

³ Medicinal Chemistry, Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Division, Theodor Bilharz Research Institute, Giza, Egypt

10.30491/jabr.2022.359352.1559

Abstract

Introduction: Endophytic fungi are good sources of bioactive compounds that are exclusive to their hosts. Eichhornia crassipes plant produces different bioactive compounds. The aim of the present study is to isolate and identify endophytic fungi that reside in Eichhornia crassipes tissues, and to evaluate the biological activities of their extracts.
Materials and Methods: Endophytic fungal spp. were isolated from leaves and petioles of Eichhornia crassipes, identified and then extracted. The ethyl acetate extracts were tested against bacteria, fungi, hepatitis B virus and Schistosoma mansoni cercariae. The chemical composition of these extracts was determined by Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC- MS/MS) analysis.
Results: We found that four fungal spp. were dominant in Eichhornia crassipes; they were molecularly identified as Aspergillus flavus OM758315, Aspergillus fumigatus OM688980, Aspergillus welwitschiae OM758326 and Corynascus sepedonium OM688206, with A. flavus as the most frequent. The ethyl acetate extract of the four fungal spp. showed pronounced antimicrobial effects, whereas the highest antiviral effect on hepatitis B virus was that of A. flavus followed by A. fumigatus extracts. All the tested extracts were cercaricidal to Schistosoma mansoni cercariae, where A. flavus was the most effective. GC- MS/MS analysis indicated the presence of various bioactive compounds.
Conclusions: Aspergillus flavus, Aspergillus fumigatus, Aspergillus welwitschiae and Corynascus sepedonium as endophytes of Eichhornia crassipes showed promising antimicrobial, antiviral and cercaricidal properties.

Keywords

Antiviral

Aspergillus

cercaricidal

Eichhornia crassipes

Endophytes

GC-MS/MS