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Insights into metabolic and pharmacological profiling of Aspergillus ficuum through bioinformatics and experimental techniques

Summary

Researchers studied a fungus called Aspergillus ficuum and found it contains compounds with potential medicinal benefits. The fungal extract showed strong antibacterial activity against disease-causing bacteria and reduced inflammation in mice. Additionally, the extract had antioxidant properties that help fight harmful free radicals, with no toxic effects observed, making it a promising candidate for developing new medications.

Background

Fungal metabolites have been identified with broad therapeutic activities including anti-inflammatory, antibiotic, antioxidant, and antitumor properties. The genus Aspergillus is known for producing bioactive secondary metabolites with pharmaceutical applications. Aspergillus ficuum, a black Aspergillus species, has not been previously explored for its metabolic and pharmacological potential.

Objective

To explore the metabolic profile of Aspergillus ficuum for the first time and perform pharmacological screening using both bioinformatic and experimental approaches. To identify bioactive compounds and evaluate antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant activities of A. ficuum extracts.

Results

Nine major secondary metabolites were identified including choline sulfate, noruron, hydroxyvittatine, aurasperone D, cetrimonium, kurilensoside, heneicosane, nonadecane and eicosane. Both ethyl acetate and n-hexane fractions showed potent antibacterial activity against Bacillus subtilis with zone of inhibition values of 21.00 and 23.00 mm respectively. Significant anti-inflammatory effects and radical scavenging activity were observed with no acute toxicity detected. Molecular docking revealed strong binding interactions, particularly with ligand L6 (kurilensoside F) showing highest binding affinity.

Conclusion

A. ficuum metabolic profile indicates the presence of biologically relevant compounds with pharmaceutical potential. The extract demonstrated potent antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects supported by molecular docking analysis. A. ficuum showed significant antioxidant activity with no acute toxicity, suggesting its potential as a therapeutic agent in future drug discovery programs.
  • Published in:BMC Microbiology,
  • Study Type:Experimental Research Study,
  • Source: 10.1186/s12866-022-02693-w, PMID: 36482311
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