A preliminary investigation of antimicrobial, antibiofilm, and antiproliferative properties of a seed-derived endophytic fungus (Eremothecium coryli) from Basella alba L.: a crude extract-based screening study.

This study presents a preliminary investigation into the antimicrobial, antibiofilm, and antiproliferative potential of Eremothecium coryli, an endophytic fungus isolated from the seeds of Basella alba L. The biological activities were evaluated using a crude extract-based screening study, employing the lyophilized cell-free supernatant (LCFS) of the fungal culture. Antibacterial and antibiofilm activities were assessed against selected multidrug-resistant bacterial pathogens, while antiproliferative activity was evaluated against breast cancer cell lines and a normal breast epithelial cell line. The LCFS demonstrated measurable antibacterial activity and significant biofilm-inhibition in a concentration-dependent manner. In cytotoxicity assays, selective growth inhibition of breast cancer cell lines was observed when compared with normal cells. Chemical profiling using Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry and Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry enabled putative metabolite identification, revealing the presence of compounds previously reported to exhibit antimicrobial and anticancer activities. However, these identifications are tentative and based on spectral library matching. Overall, this preliminary investigation highlights the biological potential of E. coryli-derived metabolites. Further purification and validation are necessary to confirm compound identities, elucidate mechanisms of action, and assess in vivo relevance.