Bioactive Potential and HR-LC-MS Analysis of Malbranchea cinnamomea Extract

Introduction: Thermophilic coprophilous fungi inhabiting nutrient-rich environments with intense microbial competition, such as Malbranchea cinnamomea, remain underexplored as sources of bioactive secondary metabolites. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate the bioactive potential of M. cinnamomea ethyl acetate crude extract. Methods: M. cinnamomea was isolated from herbivore dung (goat, cattle, and sheep) and cultivated via submerged fermentation. The ethyl acetate crude extract was assessed for antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus MTCC ۹۶ via the agar well diffusion assay, cytotoxicity in RAW ۲۶۴.۷ murine macrophage cells using the MTT assay, and hemolytic potential through an erythrocyte lysis assay. Additional screening evaluated activity against Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Plasmodium falciparum, and dengue virus serotype ۲ (DENV-۲), along with cytotoxicity testing in Vero cells. Preliminary chemical characterization was performed using thin-layer chromatography (TLC), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and high-resolution liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HR-LC-MS). Results: The extract exhibited concentration-dependent cytotoxicity against RAW ۲۶۴.۷ cells (IC۵۰ = ۱۴.۹ ± ۰.۱ μg/mL) and antibacterial activity against S. aureus, with inhibition zones of ۳۷.۷ ± ۱.۱ mm at ۹۰ μg/mL. Hemolysis remained below ۲۰% across tested concentrations, indicating low hemolytic potential. Screening showed negligible activity against M. tuberculosis, P. falciparum, and DENV-۲, and no cytotoxicity was observed in Vero cells (CC۵۰ > ۱۰۰۰ μg/mL). TLC revealed multiple components, FTIR revealed diverse functional groups, and HR-LC-MS detected six putative fungal metabolites including lipid derivatives, peptides, and phenolic compounds. Conclusion: M. cinnamomea produces chemically diverse secondary metabolites exhibiting antibacterial activity, concentration-dependent cytotoxicity against RAW ۲۶۴.۷ macrophages, and low hemolytic potential. These findings support further bioassay-guided fractionation and chemical characterization to identify novel bioactive compounds.

کلیدواژه ها:

Antimicrobial resistance ، Bioactive metabolites ، Drug discovery ، HR-LC-MS ، Malbranchea cinnamomea ، Thermophilic fungi