Antileukemic and cytoxic screening for some endophytic fungi isolated from Egyptian plants

In this study, in vitro antileukemic and cytotoxic activities of ten endophytic fungi isolated from Vinca rosea leaves and Nigella sativa seeds growing in Egypt were carried out. The isolated fungi were identified to be; Alternaria phragmospora, Alternaria sp., Eurotium pseudoglaucus, Aspergillus awamori, Aspergillus tubingensis, Aspergillus parasiticus, Penicillium duclauxii, Penicillium melinii, Nigrospora sphaerica and Mucor ramosissimus. The isolated fungal extracts displayed antileukemic and cytotoxic activities against HepG2 (human hepatocarcinoma), Vero (African green monkey kidney fibroblasts) and LLC-PK₁ (pig kidney epithelial) cells as shown below:

	Leukemis K562 cells IC50 µg/ml	Leukemis HL60 cells IC50 µg/ml	HepG2 IC50 µg/ml	Vero IC50 µg/ml	LLC-PK1 IC50 µg/ml
Aspergellus parasiticus	0.4	0.16	NA	NC	NC
Penicillium melinii	0.056	0.23	NA	NC	NC
Penicillium duclauxii	0.05	0.031	NA	NC	NC
Aspergillus awamori	0.07	0.04	NA	NC	67
Alternaria phragmospora	0.035	0.045	55	NC	85
Eurotium pseudoglaucus	0.05	0.025	NA	NC	NC
Aspergillus tubingensis	0.8	0.7	NA	NC	20