Bioactivities of the Secondary Metabolites of Endophytic Fungi Isolated from Ziziphora pedicellata Pazij et Vved.

Endophytic fungi, which inhabit plant tissues, are renowned for their capacity to produce diverse bioactive secondary metabolites. In this study, six endophytic fungal isolates were derived from the medicinal plant Ziziphora pedicellata Pazij et Vved., native to Uzbekistan, and their secondary metabolites were evaluated for antimicrobial and cytotoxic properties. Three fungal isolates exhibiting antibacterial activity were identified through ITS gene sequencing. Ethyl acetate extracts of Alternaria doliconidium, Preussia africana, and Alternaria alternata exhibited strong antibacterial activities against Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa with an inhibition zone of between 15.43 ± 0.20 mm and 24.4 ± 0.36 mm. Furthermore, P. africana and A. alternata extracts showed cytotoxicity against HeLa, HEp-2, HBL-100, and CCRF-CEM. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) analysis of A. doliconidium, P. africana, and A. alternata extracts revealed 30, 23, and 44 compounds, respectively. These findings underscore the importance of endophytic fungi from medicinal plants as sustainable sources of novel bioactive compounds with promising therapeutic applications. The sustainability of bioactive compound production by endophytes offers a promising path toward eco-friendly and economically viable solutions for pharmaceuticals and agricultural practices.