Planta Med 2013; 79 - P53
DOI: 10.1055/s-0033-1336495

Antimalarial Screening for Different Endophytic Fungi Isolated from two Egyptian Plants

AM Metwaly 1, 3, HA Kadry 3, AA El-Hela 3, AI Mohammad 3, SJ Cutler 1, 4, SA Ross 1, 2
  • 1National Center for Natural Products Research
  • 2Department of Pharmacognosy, School of Pharmacy, The University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677, USA
  • 3Department of Pharmacognosy, Faculty of Pharmacy, University of Al-Azhar, Cairo, Egypt
  • 4Department of Medicinal Chemistry, School of pharmacy, The University of Mississippi, University, MS 38677, USA

In this study, in vitro antimalarial activities of ten endophytic fungi isolated from Vinca rosea (Apocynaceae) leaves and Nigella sativa (Ranunculaceae) seeds growing in Egypt were carried out. The isolated fungi were identified by the regional center for mycology and biotechnology, (Cairo, Egypt.) as Alternaria phragmospora, Alternaria pluriseptata, Eurotium pseudoglaucus, Aspergillus awamori, Aspergillus tubingensis, Aspergillus parasiticus, Penicillium duclauxii, Penicillium melinii, Nigrospora sphaerica and Mucor ramosissimus. Extracts and fractions of the isolated fungi displayed antimalarial activities as shown below.

Alternaria phragmospora

IC50 (µg/mL)

Alternaria pluriseptata

IC50 (µg/mL)

Nigrospora sphaerica

IC50 (µg/mL)

Eurotium pseudoglaucus

IC50 (µg/mL)

Aspergillus. Awamori

IC50 (µg/mL)

Penicillium melinii

IC50 (µg/mL)

Plasmodium falsiparum

MeOH fraction

Butanol fraction

Butanol fraction

Butanol fraction

Butanol fraction

H2O fraction

Butanol fraction

H2O fraction

MeOH fraction

Butanol fraction

D6 clone

1.3

28

12

26

9.7

17

9.8

8

11

19

W2 clone

1.4

28

14

18

9.3

20

11

8

18

15

Alternaria phragmospora MeOH fraction (the most active one) was subjected to further fractionation using chromatographic techniques to yield 6 different fractions. Fractions: 2, 5 and 6 displayed antimalarial activities against Plasmodium falsiparum D6 clone with IC50 values of 2.04, 0.53 and 5.2 µg/mL, respectively, and W2 clone with IC50 values of 1.42, 0.52 and 5.3 µg/mL, respectively.