Phytochemical analysis and antimicrobial activity of an endophytic Fusarium proliferatum (ACQR8), isolated from a folk medicinal plant Cissus quadrangularis L.

Abstract The endophytic fungi are an important source of bioactive natural products. This study includes evaluation of antimicrobial activity and phytochemical analysis of endophytic fungus ACQR8, recovered from the root tissues of a folk medicinal plant Cissus quadrangularis L., which was identified as Fusarium proliferatum by microscopic and molecular methods. The fungus showed broad spectrum antibacterial and antifungal activities against variety of important plant and human pathogens. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to record antifungal activity of any endophytic Fusarium sp. against phytopathogens Rhizoctonia solani, Fusarium oxysporum and the dermatophytes Trichophyton mentagrophyte and Microsporum gypseum. The minimum inhibitory concentration of the crude extract ranged from 40–120 µg/ml against pathogenic bacteria and 0.2–2.5 mg/ml against fungal pathogens. Besides, this study probably is also the first to document the phytochemical constituents of an endophytic Fusarium sp. Phytochemical testing and GC-MS (gas chromatography- mass spectrometry) analysis revealed the presence of fatty acids and its derivatives, phenolics, terpenoids and unsaturated alkenes in the crude extract which scientifically validates the highly promising antibacterial and antifungal activity exhibited by endophytic isolate ACQR8.