Antioxidant and Antimicrobial Activity of Endophytyc Fungi Isolated from Syzygium aqueum Leaves

Syzygium aqueum is a widely used medicinal plant species with ethnomedicinal values. Despite the plant, the endophytes are recognized as a rich source of secondary metabolites with potentially useful pharmacological properties. This study was aimed to identify the endophytic fungi from S.aqueum leaves and discover their antioxidant and antimicrobial activity. The ethyl acetate extracts of the isolated endophytic fungi were investigated for their antioxidant and antimicrobial activity using 1,1diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl (DPPH) method and paper disc diffusion assay, respectively. The antimicrobial activity was evaluated against three pathogen bacteria : Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella thypi, and Escherichia coli, and one yeast: Candida albicans. Three endophytic fungi were obtained from S. aqueum leaves. Based on morphological characteristics, those fungi identified as Cochliobolus sp (D22), Penicillium sp. (D32), and Fusarium sp. (D41). Penicillium sp. (code D32) showed significant antioxidant potential activity as an also significant antimicrobial activity with IC50 59,16% and highest zone inhibition against E. coli 13.38 ± 0.25 mm. It is worth considering a further investigation of their bioactive secondary metabolites and isolates the bioactive compound for the antioxidant and antimicrobial agents.