Sains Malaysiana 54(6)(2025): 1523-1534

http://doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2025-5406-08

 

Antimalarial Activity Screening from Endophytic Fungus of Red Ginger (Zingiber officinale): in vitro and in silico Studies

(Pemeriksaan Aktiviti Antimalaria daripada Kulat Endofit Halia Bara (Zingiber officinale): Kajian in vitro dan in silico)

 

MUH ADE ARTASASTA^1,*, DIANDRA MYTHA FARADILLA¹, HERLINA RASYID², DWI LISTYORINI¹, WIRA EKA PUTRA¹, DIAN HANDAYANI³, RIGA RIGA⁴, PING-CHUNG KUO⁵, HAO-ZE LI⁵, PEI-HUNG CHANG⁵, LOEKI ENGGAR FITRI⁶, HARWOKO HARWOKO⁷ & HENI ENDRAWATI⁶

 

¹Biotechnology Program, Department of Applied Science, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Science, Universitas Negeri Malang, Malang, Indonesia

²Chemistry Department, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Hasanuddin University, Makassar, Indonesia

³Laboratory of Sumatran Biota/Faculty of Pharmacy, Universitas Andalas,

Padang, Indonesia

⁴Department of Chemistry, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Science, Universitas Negeri Padang, Padang, Indonesia

⁵School of Pharmacy, Collage of Medicine, National Cheng Kung University,

Tainan, Taiwan

⁶Department of Clinical Parasitology, Faculty of Medicine, Universitas Brawijaya,

Malang, Indonesia

⁷Department of Pharmacy, Faculty of Health Sciences, Universitas Jenderal Soedirman, Purwokerto, Indonesia

 

Diserahkan: 27 Mei 2024/Diterima: 23 April 2025

 

Abstract

Diversity exploration of secondary metabolite compounds from plant endophytic fungi is expected to yield novel compounds that can efficiently overcome Plasmodium resistance. This study aimed to assess the antimalarial activity of the endophytic fungus derived from red ginger Zingiber officinale against Plasmodium berghei. Subsequently, the endophytic fungus was isolated from the sample using the dilution method, followed by evaporation. Nine isolates of endophytic fungi were successfully isolated that were assigned as JMR1, JMR2, JMR3, JMR5, JMB1, JMB2, JMB3, JMD1, and JMD2. The antimalarial efficacy showed that the JMR5 isolate exhibited significant activity in suppressing the proliferation of P. berghei. This activity was quantified by a per cent inhibition of 83.01% and an IC₅₀ value of 5.81 µg/mL. The detected antimalarial activity of the JMR5 extract can be related to the presence of several phytochemicals, including alkaloids, flavonoids, and terpenoids. In addition, molecular identification was conducted using ITS primers on the JMR5 isolate, showing a complete genetic similarity of 100% with Aspergillus flavus. GNPS analysis was conducted using LCMS-MS data on ethyl acetate extract. Surafactin c, surafactin c14 and erucamide were probably secondary metabolites in the JMR5 extract. Furthermore, drug-likeness and molecular docking analysis were conducted. The result showed that erucamide is a potential antimalarial due to the fulfil of Lipinski's rule of five and also the binding affinity (- 4.2 kcal/mol) against Plasmepsin I. Based on the results obtained, the development of secondary metabolites from Aspergillus flavus JMR5 as potential antimalarial compounds is important to carry out.

Keywords: Antimalarial; endophytic fungal; molecular docking; Zingiber officinale

 

Abstrak

Penerokaan kepelbagaian sebatian metabolit sekunder daripada kulat endofit tumbuhan dijangka akan menghasilkan sebatian baharu yang boleh mengatasi rintangan Plasmodium dengan cekap. Penyelidikan ini bertujuan untuk menilai aktiviti antimalaria kulat endofit yang diperoleh daripada halia bara Zingiber officinale terhadap Plasmodium berghei. Selepas itu, kulat endofit telah diasingkan daripada sampel menggunakan kaedah pencairan, diikuti dengan penyejatan. Sembilan pencilan kulat endofit telah berjaya dipencilkan yang ditetapkan sebagai JMR1, JMR2, JMR3, JMR5, JMB1, JMB2, JMB3, JMD1 dan JMD2. Keberkesanan antimalaria menunjukkan bahawa pencilan JMR5 mempamerkan aktiviti penting dalam menyekat pembiakan P. berghei. Aktiviti ini dikira dengan perencatan peratus sebanyak 83.01% dan nilai IC₅₀ sebanyak 5.81 µg/mL. Aktiviti antimalaria yang dikesan daripada ekstrak JMR5 boleh dikaitkan dengan kehadiran beberapa fitokimia, termasuk alkaloid, flavonoid dan terpenoid. Di samping itu, pengenalpastian molekul telah dijalankan menggunakan primer ITS pada pencilan JMR5, menunjukkan persamaan genetik lengkap 100% dengan Aspergillus flavus. Analisis GNPS dijalankan menggunakan data LCMS-MS pada ekstrak etil asetat. Surafactin c, surafactin c14 dan erucamide mungkin merupakan metabolit sekunder dalam ekstrak JMR5. Tambahan pula, analisis keserupaan dadah dan dok molekul telah dijalankan. Hasil kajian menunjukkan bahawa erucamide berpotensi sebagai antimalaria kerana memenuhi peraturan lima Lipinski dan juga afiniti mengikat (- 4.2 kcal/mol) terhadap Plasmepsin I. Berdasarkan keputusan yang diperoleh, pembangunan metabolit sekunder daripada Aspergillus flavus JMR5 sebagai sebatian antimalaria yang berpotensi adalah penting untuk dijalankan.

Kata kunci: Antimalaria; dok molekul; kulat endofit; Zingiber officinale

 

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*Pengarang untuk surat-menyurat; email: muh.ade.artasasta.fmipa@um.ac.id