Amazonian Biodiversity: Pigments from Aspergillus and Penicillium-Characterizations, Antibacterial Activities and their Toxicities

The Aspergillus and Penicillium culture collection were screened for pigment production. The antimicrobial activity was measured by the agar diffusion methodology. The organic extracts (hexane, ethyl acetate and ethanol 95%) were tested for bioautography against yeasts and pathogenic bacteria. The extracts were also tested on Artemia salina toxicity. Cryptococcus laurentii and Mycobacterium smegmatis exhibited higher sensitivity to the pigments as test-microorganism. Pigments from Penicillium simplicissimum DPUA 1379 and Penicillium janczewskii DPUA 304 showed the highest degree of mortality for Artemia salina larvae. The other tested fungal strains of Aspergillus and Penicillium producing pigments, isolated from Amazonia, showed significant antimicrobial activities and total absence of toxicity.