Toxic, but beneficial compounds from endophytic fungi of Carica papaya

Abstract

Fungi remain a promising source of novel biologically active compounds with potentials in drug discovery and development. This study was aimed at investigating the secondary metabolites from endophytic Fusarium equiseti and Epicoccum sorghinum associated with leaves of Carica papaya collected from Agulu, Anambra State, Nigeria. Isolation of the endophytic fungi, taxonomic identification, fermentation, extraction and isolation of fungal secondary metabolites were carried out using standard procedures. Chromatographic separation and spectroscopic analyses of the fungal secondary metabolites yielded three toxigenic compounds - equisetin and its epimer 5’- epiequisetin from F. equiseti and tenuazonic acid from E. sorghinum These compounds are known to possess several beneficial biological properties that can be explored for pharmaceutical, agricultural or industrial purposes.

Antibacterial Potential of Fungal Endophytes Isolated from Carica papaya

“…Present study results were similar with the findings of Eze et al (2019). They investigated the antibacterial activity of secondary metabolites of endophytic fungi isolated from leaves of Carica papaya.…”

Endophytic Fungi Fusarium Equiseti EF2 Isolated from Leucas Aspera: A Novel Biocontrol Agent Against Culex Sp

“…One of the greatest discoveries from F. equiseti was the identification of the presence of two unique primary metabolites, Formyl Fusarochromanone and Diacetyl Fusarochromanone 42 from rice culture, which is recently proved to possess anticancer properties 43 . A recent study revealed the presence of another two unique compounds, equisetin and epiequisetin in the endophytic isolate present in the leaves of Carica papaya 44 . The silver nanoparticles derived from Fusarium equiseti exhibited antilarval properties against Anopheles stephensi, Aedes aegypti, and Culex quinquefasciatus 45 .…”