Antimicrobial activity in cultures of endophytic fungi isolated in some medicinal plant species

Fungal endophytes have been studied from five medicinal plants of Caesalpinia sappan, Alternanthera sessil, Sapindus laurifolius, Basala alba and Acalypha indica All the plants were found with endophytic fungi. The endophytes were isolated using three different mycological media namely potato dextrose agar (PDA), malt extract agar (MEA) and water agar (WA). Maximum endophytes were isolated in PDA and minimum on WA medium. Altogether 12 fungal endophytes belonging to differentn genera were isolated from the three medicinal plants. Out of which, all endophytes were obtained as filamentous forms and some of them colonies. Species Colletotrichum spp, Aspergillus spp, Bispora spp., Geotrichum spp., Trichoderma spp. Cladosporium spp. Aspergillus spp. Gliocladium spp., Trichoderma spp. Fusarium spp. Trichosporoniodes spp Trichoderma spp of antimicrobial activity inhibiting at least one of the test pathogens. Among the potent strains, 19.3% displayed antibacterial showed antimicrobial activity against all the test pathogens. An endophytic fungus identified as Trichoderma spp.5.2 Aspergillus spp.4.8 sp. Fusarium spp.4.8, Trichoderma spp. 3.9 zone of inhibition, displayed significant antimicrobial activity. whereas other fungal isolates revealed less zone of inhibition The crude extract of this endophytic strain was very effective against the bacterial pathogens and moderately active against the fungal pathogens. The study reinforced the assumption that endophytes of 5 medicinal plants could be a promising source of antimicrobial substances.