Publication

Abstract : Endophytic fungi, residing harmlessly within plant tissues, represent an underexplored, but promising source of bioactive compounds. This study explores the bioactive potential of an endophytic fungus, Penicillium rubens EF 363, isolated from a mangrove plant, Ceriops tagal. The bioactive compound was extracted, purified, characterized and identified as Citrinin. This compound displayed significant antimicrobial activity with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 5–20 µg/ml against bacterial pathogens (Bacillus cereus, Escherichia coli, and Staphylococcus aureus), 10 µg/ml against Fusarium solani, and 90% inhibition for Curvularia lunata. Citrinin exhibited an IC50 of 23.16 µg/ml in the mammalian cell line CHO-K1 and an LC50 of 33.37 µg/ml in brine shrimps which is well above the therapeutic levels. The study highlights the antimicrobial efficacy of Citrinin, presenting it as a promising bioactive compound derived from endophytic fungi.