Chemical and biological prospecting of endophytic fungi associated with Paepalanthus planifolius (Eriocaulaceae)

Abstract

Considering the importance and relevance of natural products from endophytic fungi as promising sources of new drugs, this project proposes the search of bioactive secondary metabolites produced by endophytes associated with Paepalanthus planifolius belonging to Eriocaulaceae.The criteria for selection of endophytes for chemical study will be the biological screening (antitumor and antimicrobials tests) of the extracts produced in PDB liquid medium, on a reduced scale.The selected endophytes will be grown in small scale in differents cultures medium: liquids (PDB, Czapek, Malt Extract, Nutrient and YM) and solid (rice and corn) to obtain the crude extracts and assessment of the chemical profile and bioassays. After, the most promising extracts will be grown on an enlarged scale, fractionated and purified by chromatographics methods that demonstrate more appropriate (Sephadex LH-20, MPLC, HPLC) to obtain the pure substances. The elucidation of the substances or structural determination will be performed by spectroscopic and spectrometric methods (MS, IR, UV, NMR). Pure substances will be forwarded to the biological assays.During the development of the activities will be recorded "fingerprints" by HPLC-DAD, 1H NMR and HPLC-ESI-IT-MS of extracts, fractions and pure substances.This work aims to search for new bioactive agents and extend rational studies of the chemistry of endophytes associated to plant species Eriocaulaceae.