Isolation, Identification and Pharmacological Activities of Endophytic Fungi from <i>Aponogeton undulatus</i>Roxb.

The objective of this study is to isolate, identify and investigate the pharmacological activities of the endophytic fungi from an aquatic plant Aponogeton undulatus Roxb. (A. undulatus). Endophytic fungi were isolated and identified based on morphological characters. The molecular identification of the fungal isolates was performed using by analyzing the DNA sequence based on mega BLAST program. Spectrums of antibacterial and antifungal activities were studied by Agar diffusion methods. Extracts of the endophytic fungal strains isolated from the plant A. undulatus were screened for probable cytotoxic activities using brine shrimp lethality bioassay. Six endophytic fungi, namely AULE-1, AULE-2, AULE-3, AURE-1, AURE-3 and AURE-4 were isolated and purified from the leaves and roots of the plant such as strains AULE-1 as Trichooderma sp., AULE-2 as Carvularia sp. AULE-3 as Penicillium sp. strains AURE-1 and AURE-4 as Fusarium sp. and AURE-3 as Mucor sp. Strain AURE-4 was further identified as Fusarium solani. At 300 μg/disc concentration, six ethyl acetate extracts of endophytic fungi of the plant A. undulates showed moderate to significant activities against most of the test bacteria and pathogenic fungi. The strain AURE-4 exhibited strong cytotoxic activities (10.18 μg/mL) compared to the standard antitumor agent vincristine sulphate and this positive result suggests that fungal extracts may contain antitumor or pesticidal compounds. This is the first study to report the isolation, identification, antimicrobial and cytotoxic properties of endophytic fungi of Aponogeton undulatus Roxb. in Bangladesh.

A Review on Ethnomedicinal, Pharmacological, Phytochemical and Pharmaceutical Profile of Lady’s Finger (<i>Abelmoschus esculentus</i>L.) Plant

Abelmoschus is a genus of about fifteen species belongs to the family Malvaceae. The herb, popularly known as Lady’s Finger or Okra (in English) is a nutritional source used for both medicinal and culinary purposes. The plant is widely distributed from Africa to Asia, Southern Europe, and America. This comprehensive account provides a botanical description of the plant, its phytochemical constituents and pharmacological activities focusing anti-diabetic, anti-oxidant, anti-adhesive, gastro-protective, hepatoprotective, and immunomodulating actions. Most of the pharmacological effects can be explained by the constituents like tannins, terpenoids, flavonoids and glycosides present in all plant parts. However, future efforts should concentrate more on in vitro and in vivo studies and also on clinical trials in order to confirm traditional wisdom in the light of a rational phytotherapy. The present review is an overview of phytochemistry and ethnopharmacological studies that support many of the traditional?ethnomedicinal uses of the plant.