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Endophytic fungi isolated from Vietnamese nut grass (Cyperus rotundus L. Cyperaceae) – A promising solution to mitigate the prime phenomenon of antibiotic resistance

Summary

Scientists discovered seven types of fungi living inside nut grass plants that can fight dangerous bacteria, including those resistant to current antibiotics. These fungi showed strong ability to kill drug-resistant staph bacteria and other serious pathogens. The findings suggest that these naturally-occurring fungi could be developed into new antibiotics to treat infections that currently have limited treatment options.

Background

Multidrug resistance in bacteria poses a significant global health threat, creating an urgent need for new antibiotics. Cyperus rotundus L. (nut grass) is a common Asian medicinal plant with known antimicrobial properties that hosts endophytic fungi as potential sources of bioactive compounds.

Objective

To isolate and identify endophytic fungi from Vietnamese nut grass and evaluate their antibacterial properties against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative pathogenic bacteria to discover novel antimicrobial agents.

Results

Seven endophytic fungi were isolated and identified from Vietnamese nut grass, including Penicillium setosum, Simplicillium obclavatum, Neottiosporina sp., Curvularia sp., Ceratobasidium sp., Fusarium keratoplasticum, and Colletotrichum crassipes. All isolates demonstrated antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacteria, with HP-L1 showing the most potent activity against MRSA, E. coli, and P. aeruginosa. Culture media (PDA and Czapek-Dox) significantly impacted antibacterial activity.

Conclusion

Endophytic fungi isolated from Vietnamese Cyperus rotundus represent a promising source for novel antibiotics, particularly against multidrug-resistant pathogens like MRSA and P. aeruginosa. Future research should focus on isolating and characterizing the bioactive compounds produced by these fungi and optimizing culture conditions for scaled production.
  • Published in:Heliyon,
  • Study Type:Experimental Research Study,
  • Source: PMID: 39931485, DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2025.e41920
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