Thesis (M.Sc.) - Cairo University - Faculty of Science - Department of Microbiology

A total of sixty one endophytic fungal isolates were screened from different parts of Catharanthus roseus plant. Plant root and Martin medium achieved the highest endophytic fungal counts. A. tubingensis, A. fumigatus and F. oxysporum were the most frequent endophytic species. The most significant total alkaloids were produced by A. fumigatus and A. tubingensis, while the least significant one was produced by Botrytis cinerea. Antimicrobial assay of the endophytic fungal extracts indicated that both A. tubingensis and F. oxysporum exhibited potent antimicrobial activities, whenever A. fumigatus exerted the least activity. In vitro cytotoxicity assay of the endophytic fungal extracts was done against human cell lines of breast cancer (MCF-7) and liver cancer (HEPG-2) using SRB assay method. A. tubingensis culture filtrate extract showed potential cytotoxic effect on MCF-7 cell line with IC50 value of 42.1 og/ml and on HEPG-2 cell line with IC50 of 48.2. The least cytotoxic effect was exhibited by F. solani. Molecular identification was done for A. tubingensis which was the most potential antimicrobial and in vitro cytotoxicity compared to other tested fungal species. In vivo cytotoxicity assay of A. tubingensis, recorded the highest in vitro cytotoxicity, was carried out. A. tubingensis extract at100 mg/kg, showed potential cytotoxic effect on EAC bearing mice groups than 50 mg/kg. The histopathological study showed that fungal extract treated group, possessed extensive apoptotic cells. Gas Chromatography Mass Spectroscopy (GC-MS) was used for analysis of alkaloids in mycelial and filtrate extracts of A.tubingiensis, F.oxysporum and F.solani where eleven alkaliods compounds were detected

Issued also as CD