Isolation, molecular identification, phytochemical screening and in vitro anti-oxidant activity of endophytic fungi from Achilea millefolium Linn

Abstract

Endophytic fungi isolated from a medicinal plant of western Himalayas (Achillea millefolium) were explored and investigated for its antioxidant potential and also phytochemical screening. Fungal endophytes were subjected to molecular identification based on ITS sequence analysis. Four endophytes namely Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus terreus, Aspergillus flavus and Rhizopus oryzae were isolated from the medicinal plant. Out of four three endophytes are evaluated for their activity. It was noted from DPPH assay that highest inhibition percentage was recorded by Aspergillus niger (88.53%), followed by Aspergillus flavus and (82.35%) and Aspergillus terreus sp (70.1%). In FRAP assay, it was noted that Aspergillus niger sp. recorded high reduction percentage followed by Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus terreus sp. Endophytic fungi isolated from Achillea millefolium (L) were tested for various phytochemicals. Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus terreus and Aspergillus flavus yielded the flavonoids, tepenoids, phenol and saponins from ethanol extract. Antioxidant compounds like total phenol and flavonoid were also determined. The ethanol extracts of Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus terreus and Aspergillus flavus showed potent antioxidant activity against FRAP and DPPH. The total amount of phenol and flavonoid quantified were of 12.30, 10.42 and 9.24 gallic acid equivalent per gram of three endophytic fungi, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus flavus and Aspergillus terreus respectively and 6.45, 5.15 and 3.35 μg/mg of quercetin equivalent respectively. This investigation suggests that the ethanolic extract of endophytes, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus terreus and Aspergillus flavus of Achillea millefolium possess potential antioxidant properties and also sheds some phytochemical constituents.