Study of Endophytic fungi associated with Salvadora oleoides and their medicinal values

Abstract

Major objectives: To isolate and identify the endophytic fungi associated with Salvadora oleoides and investigate their seasonal and spatial variation in Haryana. Along with preliminary phytochemical screening and medicinal values (in vitro antibacterial activity and in vivo hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic activity). Hypotheses: S. oleoides is a traditional medicinal plant. It is perceived to be under threat in Indian desert. Medicinal plants have been recognized as repository of fungal endophytes with novel metabolites of medicinal importance. Regarding the conservation priorities of this plant, a systematic investigation of its fungal endophytes and their medicinal values must be investigated. These fungal endophytes will serve as an alternate source of novel metabolites of pharmaceutical importance. Methodology: A total of 3750 tissue segments of plant from twenty five sample collection sites were processed in three different seasons. Endophytes were isolated from plant tissues following protocol of Fisher et. al. (1993) with some minor modifications and identified. Qualitative preliminary phytochemical analyses were performed by following standard methods. In vitro antimicrobial activity of isolated endophytic fungi extracts were done by using Resazurin based microtitre dilution assay and disc diffusion assay. In vivo hypoglycaemic and hypolipidemic activities of endophytic fungi was analysed by using ERBA diagnostic kits. For statistical analyses GRAPH PAD PRISM 5.03 and STATISTICA 5 were used. Observations: Statistical analyses enlightened significant variation in frequencies of fungal endophyte communities due to seasons and sites. The endophytic fungi isolated from S. oleoides possess antioxidant activities and an array of phytochemicals like alkaloids, flavanoids, terpenes, tannins, carbohydrates, amino acids in their water, methanol and acetone extracts. Moreover, the acetonic extracts of Aspergillus sp.JPY1, Aspergillus sp.JPY2, A. niger and unidentified fungus possess antimicrobial activities.