Biological Activities of Endophytic Fungi from Mango Mistletoe (Dendrophthoe pentandra) and Tea Mistletoe (Scurrula atropurpurea): Antioxidant and Antibacterial Potential

¹ Study Program of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Islam Malang, Malang 65151, Indonesia
² Department of Biological Sciences and Biotechnology, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 Bangi, Selangor, Malaysia

¹ Corresponding author: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Abstract

Endophytic fungi represent a valuable source of bioactive compounds, with their metabolite production often shaped by host plants. Notably, endophytic from parasitic plants, such as mistletoe, remain relatively underexplored. This study aimed to isolation and evaluation the antioxidant and antibacterial potential of endophytic fungi associated with mango mistletoe (Dendrophthoe pentandra) and tea mistletoe (Scurrula atropurpurea). A total of 11 fungal isolates were obtained from mistletoe organs, including leaves, stems, flowers, and petioles. All isolates underwent liquid fermentation for 14-21 days to yield fungal extracts. Antioxidant activity was measured using the DPPH radical scavenging method with ascorbic acid as a standard, while antibacterial effects against Escherichia coli were assessed by the disc diffusion method with chloramphenicol as a positive control. Five isolates EFPM 1, EFPM 2, EFPM 3, EFFM, and EFSM 2 exhibited antioxidant activity, though relatively weak compared to ascorbic acid. In contrast, EFSM 2, EFPM 1, EFLT 1 & 2 displayed measurable antibacterial activity, with inhibition zones ranging from 6.26 to 11.95 mm, lower than chloramphenicol. These findings collectively demonstrate the value of bioprospecting endophytic fungi from mango and tea mistletoe, highlighting their potential as a natural source of therapeutic compounds for the discovery of new drugs.