Abstract
Endophytes are microorganisms that survive inside the plant tissue and produce compounds of great pharmaceutical benefit. Solvent extracts were tested for antiproliferative activity against the different cancer cell lines employing the 3-(4, 5-Dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-Diphenyltetrazolium Bromide (MTT) assay. Apoptotic potential of the ethyl acetate fraction was determined using acridine orange, ethidium bromide staining and caspase3/7 activity. Cell migration was evaluated by scratch wound healing assay. The ethyl acetate fraction (F1A) showed the most potent cytotoxic activity in dose dependent manner for all the cell lines examined. The IC50 values on MCF7, HepG2 and Jurkat cells were 171.2, 121.34 and 117.90 respectively.
The percentage of apoptotic nuclei after treatment with 170 mu g/ml of extract was significant when compared to control 49 perpendicular to 4.9% at the concentration of 60 mu g/ml. F1A fraction treatment significantly decreased the migration rate of HepG2 cells. Results indicated the potential for production of bioactive metabolites from endophytes cochliobolus spicifer. Considering the apoptotic potential of the examined F1A, they might have the potential to serve as a template for future anticancer drug development. Further investigation to identify the mode of action is required.