Exploring the Biomedical Potential of Endophytic Fungi Isolated from Panamanian Mangroves

Objective: The objective of this study was to assess the biomedical potential of endophytic fungi isolated from Panamanian mangrove plants. This was achieved through the biological evaluation of organic extracts to determine their antiparasitic, anticancer, toxicity activity, and inhibition of the enzyme alpha-glucosidase. Methods: Leaves from various mangrove plant species in five different zones along the Pacific coast of Panama were collected using standard procedures. Endophytic fungi present on the leaves of each plant mangrove species collected were isolated using standard microbiological protocols. Organic extracts of each fungal isolate were prepared through maceration. The antiparasitic activity against Plasmodium falciparum, Trypanosoma cruzi, and Leishmania donovani, toxicity against Artemia salina, and anticancer activity in the MCF-7 cell line were investigated following protocols established by our institution. Finally, the ability to inhibit the enzymatic activity of alpha-glucosidase was evaluated by monitoring the hydrolysis of PNP-G. Results: Forty-three fungal isolates were isolated from the mangrove leaves analyzed. Organic extracts were prepared from each isolate for subsequent biological evaluation. It was found that twenty-one of the organic extracts showed activity in at least one of the performed bioassays. In the brine shrimp test, most samples were nontoxic or exhibited weak toxicity. Two fungal extracts showed anticancer activity, three showed antileishmanial activity, and one exhibited weak activity against P. falciparum. The most significant biological activity shown by the evaluated extracts was the inhibition of the alpha-glucosidase enzyme, where 44% of the fungal extracts were active. Conclusion: The most promising biomedical activity detected in the fungal isolates associated with mangrove plants is the inhibition of the alpha-glucosidase enzyme. Among the active samples, a high percentage belonged to fungi identified within the class Dothidiomycetes, revealing that this class is a potential new source of compounds with hypoglycemic activity.