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Endophytic fungi from marine seaweeds are the less studied group of organisms with vast medical applications. The aim of the present study was to evaluate antioxidant, antiangiogenic as well as wound healing potential of the endophytic fungus isolated from the seaweed Sargassum wightii. The morphological characters and the rDNA internal transcribed spacer sequence analysis (BLAST search in Gen Bank database) was used for the identification of endophytic fungus. The antioxidant potential of the ethyl acetate extract of endophytic fungus was assessed by, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl radical scavenging method. The fungal extract was also analysed for reducing power, total phenolic and flavonoid content. Antiangiogenic activity of the fungal extract was studied in vitro by inhibition of wound healing scratch assay and in vivo by Chick chorioallantoic membrane assay. The endophytic fungus was identified as Cladosporium cladosporioides (Gen Bank ID – KT384175). The ethyl acetate extract of C. cladosporioides showed a significant antioxidant and angiosuppressive activity. The ESI-LC-MS analysis of the extract revealed the presence of wide range of secondary metabolites. Results suggest that C. cladosporioides extract could be exploited as a potential source for angiogenic modulators.

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Fungal endophytes are less studied group of microorganisms with vast therapeutic potential. A polyphenol producing endophyticfungus was isolated from Zingiber officinale rhizome. The ethyl acetate extract of Aspergillus austroafricanus (EAE) was tested against five human pathogenic bacteria by disc diffusion method. Antioxidant activity of EAE was determined by DPPH, H 2 O 2 and nitric oxide radical-scavenging methods. DNA protection from the OH radicals was tested by agarose gel electrophoresis. High-performance liquid chromatography was used to determine the total yield of polyphenols. The identity of the endophytic fungus was established as A. austroafricanus CGJ-B3 (GenBank accession No. KT780617) based on rDNA and phylogenetic analysis. EAE showed significant antioxidant, antimicrobial activity and DNA damage protection capacity. The HPLC analysis showed the presence of polyphenols such as p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid and cinnamic acid and the content was about 0.392 ± 0.08 µg/mg, 4.35 ± 0.16 µg/mg and 1.976 ± 0.11 µg/mg, respectively. A. austroafricanus CGJ-B3 isolated from Z. officinale is a promising potential pharmaceutical agent and can be used as an alternative source of polyphenols like p-coumaric acid, ferulic acid and cinnamic acid.

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Background Medicinal plant extracts used in folk medicine seem to be crucial since those are generally accepted by people without worrying about the toxicity. In our present study, we have compared the neuroprotective role of the rhizome of Curculigo orchioides Gaertn. and leaf extracts of Olea dioica Roxb., against acrylamide-induced neurotoxicity in Drosophila melanogaster. Results In-vivo neurotoxic study was carried out using 7-day-old flies (wild-type D. melanogaster). Prior to co-after exposing the flies with acrylamide (8 mM) along with or without OLE-2 and CU-3 fractions (0.2, 0.4 and 0.6% w/v), the heads of flies of both the control and treated groups were homogenized for biochemical assay. ACR-treated groups have shown higher elevation in AChE, SOD, LPO, and CAT activity when compared to control and treated (plant fraction) groups. Biochemical and histopathology studies show that both the plant fractions (OLE-2 and CU-3) have neuroprotective action against acrylamide. Conclusion The present study has demonstrated that dietary supplementation with plant fraction of OLE-2 and CU-3 has increased antioxidant enzymes and decreased AChE activity in D. melanogaster. This activity could be part of the probable mechanisms of action by which OLE-2 and CU-3 fractions have extended the lifespan and locomotory activity in fruit flies. These fruit flies continue to provide an exciting system for metabolic studies and should be more extensively exploited. Based on these results, further studies on the identified bioactive compounds from these two plants are being planned.

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