Anticancer potentials of secondary metabolites from endophytes of Barringtonia acutangula and its molecular characterization

Fungi are plant-like organisms that lack chlorophyll. An endophytic fungi is a fungal microorganism, which spends the whole or part of its life cycle colonizing inter and /or intra-cellularly inside the healthy tissues of the host plants, typically causing no apparent symptoms of diseases. Endophytes are now considered as an important component of biodiversity. The distribution of endophytic mycoflora differs with the host. Some Endophytes are widespread and others are highly specific to single host in single environment. These endophytes protect their hosts from infectious agents and adverse conditions by secreting bioactive secondary metabolites (Azevedo et al., 2000; Carroll and Carroll, 1978; Strobel, 2003). The endophytic fungi play important physiological and ecological roles in their host life. In recent years, there has been evidence that the production of secondary metabolites by an endophyte is not random, but seems to be correlated with its ecological niche. The metabolic interactions of endophytes with its host may favor the synthesis of biologically active secondary metabolites. ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 2 Number (2013) pp.44 55. http://www.ijcmas.com