The endophytic fungi isolated from leaves of Swietenia macrophylla of different ages were examined for antimicrobial activity. The agar plug diffusion assay was used for primary screening, followed by the disc diffusion method. A total of 461 filamentous endophytic fungi were isolated and cultured to examine their antimicrobial properties. In the primary screen, 315 isolates (68.3%) exhibited activity against at least one of the test pathogenic microorganisms. The percentage of isolates exhibiting antimicrobial activity increased with leaf age. Endophytic fungal assemblages, as well as those isolates exhibiting antimicrobial properties appeared to increase with leaf age. The main antimicrobial compounds were produced extracellularly by the endophytic fungi. The results suggest that healthy leaves at older stages of growth can be a potential source for the isolation of endophytic fungi with antimicrobial properties.
SaikkonenK., FaethS., HelanderM., SullivanT. (1998) Fungal endophytes: A continuum of interactions with host plants. Annual Review of Ecology and Systematics, 29, 319–343.
2.
ArnoldA.E., MejiaL.C., KylloD., RojasE.I., MaynardZ., RobbinsN., HerreE.A. (2003) Fungal endophytes limit pathogen damage in a tropical tree. Proceedings of the Nature Academy of Science, 100, 15649–15654.
3.
StrobelG., DaisyB., CastilloU., HarperJ. (2004) Natural products from endophytic microorganisms. Journal of Natural Products, 67, 257–268.
4.
TejesviM.V., KiniK.R., PrakashH.S., SubbiahV., ShettyH.S. (2007) Genetic diversity and antifungal activity of species of Pestalotiopsis isolated as endophytes from medicinal plants. Fungal Diversity, 24, 37–54.
5.
TanR.X., ZouW.X,. (2001) Endophytes: a rich source of functional metabolites. Natural Product Reports, 18, 448–459.
6.
ZhangH.W., SongY.C., TanR.X. (2006) Biology and chemistry of endophytes. Natural Product Reports, 23, 753–771.
7.
RahmatullahM., RahmanM.A., HaqueM.Z., MollikM.A.H., MiajeeZ., KhatunZ., KhatunM.A. (2010) A survey of medicinal plants used by folk medicinal practitioners of Staion Purbo Para Village of Jamalpur Sadar Upazila in Jamalpur district, Bangladesh. American Eurasian Journal of Sustainable Agriculture, 4, 122–135.
8.
KalaivananK., PugalendiK.V. (2011) Antihyperglycemic effect of the alcoholic seed extract of Swietenia macrophylla on streptozotocin-diabetic rats. Pharmacognosy Research, 3, 67–72.
9.
TanS.K., OsmanH., WongK.C., BoeyL.P., IbrahimP. (2009) Antimicrobial and antioxidant activities of Swietenia macrophylla leaf extracts. Asian Journal of Food and Agro-Industry, 2, 181–188.
10.
MaitiA., DewanjeeS., MandalS.C., AnnaduraiS. (2007) Exploration of antimicrobial potential of methanol and water extract of seeds of Swietenia macrophylla (Family: Meliaceae), to substantiate folklore claim. Iranian Journal of Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 6, 99–102.
11.
PereiraJ.O., AzevedoJ.L., PetriniO. (1993) Endophytic fungi of Stylosanthes: a first report. Mycologia, 85, 362–364.
12.
RodriguesK.F. (1994) The foliar fungal endophytes of the Amazonian palm Euterpe oleracea. Mycologia, 86, 376–385.
13.
KumaresanV., SuryanarayananT.S. (2002) Endophyte assemblages in young, mature and senescent leaves of Rhizophora apiculata: evidence for the role of endophytes in mangrove litter degradation. Fungal Diversity, 9, 81–91.
14.
TaylorJ., HydeK., JonesE. (1999) Endophytic fungi associated with the temperate palm, Trachycarpus fortunei, within and outside its natural geographic range. New Phytology, 142, 335–346.
15.
RajagopalK., SuryanarayananT. (2000) Isolation of endophytic fungi from leaves of neem (Azadirachta indica A. Juss.). Current Science, 78, 1375–1378.
16.
LeeD.W., CollinsT.M. (2001) Phylogenetic and ontogenetic influences on the distribution of anthocyanins and betacyanins in leaves of tropical plants. International Journal of Plant Science, 162, 1141–1153.
17.
YennT.W., LeeC.C., IbrahimD., ZakariaL. (2012) Enhancement of anti-candidal activity of endophytic fungus Phomopsis sp. ED2, isolated from Orthosiphon stamineus Benth, by incorporation of host plant extract in culture medium. Journal of Microbiology, 50, 581–585.
18.
TongW., DarahI., LatiffahZ. (2011) Antimicrobial activities of endophytic fungal isolates from medicinal herb Orthosiphon stamineus Benth. Journal of Medicine Plants Research, 5, 831–836.
19.
MichaelT.M., MartinkoJ.M. (2006) Eukaryotic cell structure/function. In Biology of Microorganisms.MichaelT.M., MartinkoJ.M. (Eds), Pearson Education, Inc, pp, 447–472.
20.
HugoW.B. (1991) The degradation of preservatives by microorganisms. International Biodeterioration & Biodegradation, 27, 185–194.
21.
SchulzB., GuskeS., DammannU., BoyleC. (1998) Endophyte-host interactions II. Defining symbiosis of the endophyte-host interaction. Symbiosis, 25, 213–227.
22.
RadhakrishnanM., SaravananD., BalagurunathanR., KumarV. (2011) Fungal bioprospecting from Sundarban Mangrove Forest with special reference to antibacterial and antimycobacterial activity. International Journal of PharmTech Research, 3, 719–723.
23.
Clinical, and Laboratory Standards Institute. (2006) Performance Standards for Antimicrobial Disk Susceptibility Tests. In Approved standard M2-A9.Wayne, Pennsylvania: Clinical and Laboratory Institute.
24.
Clinical, and Laboratory Standards Institute. (2004) Method for antifungal disk diffusion susceptibility testing of yeasts. In Approved guideline Document M44-A.Wayne, Pennsylvania: Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institude.
