ANTIMICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF SECONDARY METABOLITES OF ENDOPHYTIC ASPERGILLUS SPECIES ISOLATED FROM LORANTHUS MICRANTHUS
Abba CC1, Nduka I1, Eze PM2*, Ujam TN2, Abonyi DO2, Okoye FBC1
1.Department of Pharmaceutical and Medicinal Chemistry, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka-Nigeria
2.Department of Pharmaceutical Microbiology and Biotechnology, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka-Nigeria
Afr. J Pharm Res Dev; Volume 8(2): 135-139 ; Nov/Dec 2016
ABSTRACT
This study was carried out to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of secondary metabolites from an endophytic fungus isolated from the Nigerian mistletoe, Loranthus micranthus. Aspergillus sp. was isolated from leaves of L. micranthus and subjected to a solid state fermentation process. After fermentation, the secondary metabolite was extracted using ethyl acetate. The antimicrobial activity of the crude extract against Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Salmonella typhi, Bacillus subtilis, Candida albicans and Aspergillus fumigatus was determined using the agar well diffusion method. At the concentrations analyzed (5 – 0.625 mg/mL), the extract recorded only antibacterial and no antifungal activity against the test isolates. Antibacterial activity was observed against all test bacteria at 5 and 2.5 mg/mL; while at 1.25 mg/mL inhibition zone diameters (IZD) of 2, 2, 0 and 4 mm were recorded against S. aureus, S. typhi, K. pneumoniae and B. subtilis respectively. At 0.625 mg/mL, antibacterial activity was recorded only against B. subtilis with an IZD of 3 mm. No IZD was recorded against C. albicans and A. fumigatus at the various concentrations analyzed. The assessment of the antimicrobial potentials of this endophytic fungus may serve as the baseline for the chemical identification of active molecules which may be used as antimicrobial compounds; or lead compounds which could be chemically manipulated into effective drugs.
KEYWORDS: Endophyte, Antimicrobial, Aspergillus sp., Nigerian mistletoe, Loranthus micranthus
*Corresponding Author: ezep2004@hotmail.com