Isolation and Phytochemical Screening of Endophytic Fungi Isolated from Medicinal Plant Mappia foetida and Evaluation of Its In Vitro Cytotoxicity in Cancer.

Isolated endophyte fungi from Mappia foetida have been explored as a potential source for the mass production of anticancer drug lead compounds in the current study. Since medical plants are not feasible economically for mass production of bioactive pharmaceutical important molecules using plant tissue culture due to factors like media design and fungal contamination, endophyte fungal mass culture have been an alternative for the relatively easy and inexpensive production. Two endophytic fungi isolated, Alternaria alternata and Fusarium species were mass cultured and their prepared alcoholic extract subjected to standard procedures to identify the phytochemical screening by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GCMS), high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), UV visible spectrophotometry (UV-VIS), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). GC-MS analysis revealed the presence of three major compounds in the extracts. The phytochemical screening confirmed the presence of an anticancer compound (camptothecin) in their extract. Moreover, the dose-dependent anticancer activity of ethanol extract was demonstrated against cervical carcinoma (HeLa), breast carcinoma (MCF-7), non-small cell lung carcinoma (H1975), and hepatocellular carcinoma cell line (Hep G2) by MTT assay where doxorubicin was used as the positive control. Furthermore, the microscopic examination also confirmed the cytotoxic effect of extract of endophytic fungi Alternaria alternata and Fusarium species against tested cancer cells. Hence, endophytic fungi Alternaria alternata and Fusarium species might be exploited for mass production of phytochemicals having anticancer activity.

Phytochemical Screening and Bioactivity Studies of Endophytes Cladosporium sp. Isolated from the Endangered Plant Vateria Indica Using In Silico and In Vitro Analysis.

Vateria indica is persistent tree used in Unani sources for the medication and classified as critically endangered. Thus, endophytes for alternative methods to explore these endangered Plants having rich source pharmaceuticals' active molecules for drug development and production. Endophytes comprises unexplored microbes as a potential source of rich pharmaceutically bioactive compounds attributable to their relationship with the host. In the current study, we have isolated endophyte fungi Cladosporium from the plant Vateria indica and performed phytochemical screening of its ethanolic extract to detect the phytochemicals using thin layer chromatography (TLC), gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), UV-visible spectrophotometry (UV-VIS), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). GC-MS analysis revealed the presence of an anticancer compound hydroxymethyl colchicine, antioxidant compound benzoic acid, and antimicrobial 2-(4-chlorophenoxy)-5-nitro in endophyte fungal extract of plant Vateria indica. Moreover, in silico analysis of bioactive compounds identified by GC-MS analysis using the Autodock Vina and SwissADME confirmed excellent anticancer activity methanone, [4-amino-2-[(phenylmethyl) amino]-5-thiazolyl] (4-fluorophenyl)- and hydroxymethyl colchicine against 6VO4 (Bfl-1 protein) as per Lipinski rule. Furthermore, we also demonstrated the excellent antioxidant of endophytic extract compared to plant extract by DPPH and ABTS assay, as well as antimicrobial activity against both Gram (+ ve) and Gram (- ve) bacteria. Moreover, the endophytic extract also showed its antimitotic activity with a mitotic index of 65.32, greater than the plant extract of 32.56 at 10 mg/ml. Thus endophytic fungi Cladosporium species isolated from plant Vateria indica might be used as a potential source for phytochemical anticancer hydroxymethyl colchicine, an antioxidant benzoic acid, and antimicrobial 2-(4-chlorophenoxy)-5-nitro.

Bimetallic p-ZnO/n-CuO nanocomposite synthesized using Aegle marmelos leaf extract exhibits excellent visible-light-driven photocatalytic removal of 4-nitroaniline and methyl orange.

In the current study, the photocatalytic activity of bimetallic ZnO-CuO hetero-nanocomposite was evaluated and compared with the monometallic ZnO and CuO nanoparticles using 4-nitroaniline (4-NA) and methyl orange (MO). Bimetallic ZnO-CuO hetero-nanocomposite, ZnO, and CuO nanostructure were synthesized utilizing leaf extract of Aegle marmelos and characterized by transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and XPS. Benefiting from the p-n heterostructures formation, bimetallic ZnO-CuO hetero-nanocomposite exhibits an excellent photocatalytic activity against 4-NA as well as MO compared to pure ZnO and CuO. In particular, bimetallic ZnO-CuO hetero-nanocomposite expressed the highest photocatalytic activity by reducing 90% of 4-NA in 20 min and by degrading 96% of MO in 10 min, whereas 65% reduction of 4-NA in 30 min and 93% degradation of MO in 45 min was exhibited by CuO and 48% reduction of 4-NA in 30 min and 98% degradation of MO in 50 min was exhibited by ZnO. Moreover, bimetallic ZnO-CuO hetero-nanocomposite maintains excellent photocatalytic activity even after five cycles indicating its stability as photocatalyst and reusability. Based on the experimental findings, bimetallic ZnO-CuO hetero-nanocomposite could be used as a photocatalyst for wastewater treatment with excellent regeneration efficiency.