Bioprospecting endophytic fungi of forest plants for their monoamine oxidase A and cholinesterases inhibitors, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma agonists.

Abstract

Aims: The urgent search for new natural bioactive compounds is crucial to address growing clinical demands. With this perspective, this paper focuses on isolating and bioprospecting fungal endophytes from some plant species in a local forest in Wrocław, Poland.

Methods and results: Forty-three fungal endophytes were isolated and their extracts were tested for inhibitory potential against monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A), acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), and for peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR-γ) agonists. Six promising strains after screening were identified to possess all these activities. These strains and their respective plant hosts were Sphaeropsis sapinea BUK-L2 (Fagus sylvatica), Coniochaeta velutina SW-B (Picea abies), Epicoccum nigrum COR-B (Corylus avellana), Paraphaeosphaeria verruculosa JAR-B (Sorbus aucuparia), Umbelopsis isabellina COR-L1 (Corylus avellana), and Epicoccum mezzettii QR-B (Quercus robur). Moreover, gamma irradiation at several doses (Gy) was separately applied to the fungal cultures to study their enhancement effects on the recorded activities. Finally, compounds of active bands from preparative thin-layer chromatography of the two promising strains (Coniochaeta velutina SW-B and Epicoccum nigrum COR-B), were identified by GC-MS (Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry).

Conclusions: The present study is the first report on bioprospecting endophytic fungi of forest plants for the aforementioned activities.