EVALUATION OF SOME TRADITIONAL THERAPEUTIC PROPERTIES OF USNEA LONGISSIMA (ASCOMYCOTA, LICHENIZED FUNGI): ANTIMICROBIAL, ANTIQUORUM AND ANTIOXIDANT

Usnea longissima, fruticose lichen growing in the temperate region, is well known traditional medicinal herb and a reservoir of some unique secondary metabolites. Traditionally it has been commonly used as an antimicrobial agent for treatment ailments like tuberculosis, ulcers skin diseases, etc. In our study, we evaluate antimicrobial, antiquorum sensing (QS) antioxidant activity longissima metabolites extracted acetone, methanol, 70% hydroalcoholic solvents. Antimicrobial extracts was evaluated against fungus (Aspergillus niger, Candida albicans) six bacterial (Agrobacterium tumefaciens, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Pseudomonas aerogenosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus mutans) strains. Whereas anti-QS tested biosensor strain Chromobacterium violaceum (CV) MCC 2290 antibiofilm checked two gram-negative bacteria (P. aeruginosa E. coli), gram-positive (Bacillus cereus aureus) (Candida albicans). Results experimental data indicated that methanolic extract exhibited maximum A. tumefaciens (24±0.2 mm) C. albicans (30±0.3 with minimum inhibitory concentration 300µg/mL 200µg/mL respectively. Interestingly, also observed all effectively inhibited quorum biofilm formation Bacillus cereus, at (100-300 µg/mL), (50-150 µg/mL). showed strong reducing power hydroxyl radical low DPPH scavenging activity. The present study suggested U. possesses potential These biological properties could be attributed to its significant which validates use herbal source.