Secondary metabolite production by Endophytic Fungi isolated from Andrographis paniculata

ABSTRACT

Endophytic fungi are the one that resides inside the plant tissues. In the present study, five endophytic fungal strains were isolated from the medicinal plant Andrographis paniculata. The plant possess pharmacological activities such as vermicidal, analgesic, antibacterial, antipyretic, anti thrombotic ,antiviral ,cardio protective, hepatoprotective, hypoglycemic etc. Inspite of all the above properties, the plant was investigated to determine the presence of the endophytic fungi inside their inner tissues such as Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus, Fusarium species, Alternaria species and Yeast like fungi. Endophytic fungi have the possibility of being both beneficial as well as pathogenic to the host plant. The cultures isolated in the present study revealed the beneficial effect to their host plant by producing certain secondary metabolites. The preliminary screening of the enzyme production by the isolated strains has given a positive result. Enzyme production from the plant source has a remarkable value in the present research world as they possess wide application in many fields.

Keywords: Endophytic, Secondary metabolites, Pathogen, Andrographolide, Cardioprotective, ethnobotanical

http://www.ijbst.org/Home/papers-published/ijbst-2012-volume-5-issue-3