Phytochem Rev
DOI 10.1007/s11101-013-9271-y
Metabolites of endophytic fungi as novel source
of biofungicide: a review
Susheel Kumar • Nutan Kaushik
Received: 29 June 2012 / Accepted: 7 January 2013
Ó Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht 2013
Abstract Endophytic fungi are known to harbour
compound(s) beneficial for plant health as well as
human health. Among the metabolites of agrochem-
ical and pharmaceutical importance alkaloids are the
major. Apart from alkaloids several terpernoids and
steroids, isocoumarins and chromones, phenolics and
volatiles have also been reported. Cryptocin and
cytochalasins alkaloids were isolated during early
phase of innovation and proved to be antifungal. Some
of these metabolites produced by endophytic fungi
were originally isolated from the host plants.
Keywords Antifungal  Biofungicide 
Endophytic fungi  Fungal metabolites
Antifungal metabolites from endophytic fungi
Endophytic fungi are those living inside the host plant
without causing any apparent negative effect on host
plant rather imparting enhanced host plant resistance
S. Kumar
TERI University, 10 Institutional Area, Vasant Kunj,
New Delhi 110 070, India
N. Kaushik (&)
The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), Habitat
Center, Lodhi Road, New Delhi 110003, India
e-mail: kaushikn2008@gmail.com
to biotic and/or abiotic stresses. Enhanced host plant
resistance to pests and herbivores are the greatest
advantage for the plants and in many instances this is
accomplished by secondary metabolites produced by
endophytic fungi. Several metabolites showing pesti-
cidal activity have been isolated and characterized
from endophytic fungi.
Alkaloids
Many fungicidal alkaloids have been isolated from
endophytic fungi (Fig. 1). Alkaloids were the first
reported metabolite which has been realized to have
insecticidal activity. During early phase most of these
compounds were isolated from endophytic fungi of
temperate grasses, where they were protecting the host
plant from insects and herbivores. A tetrameric acid
analog, cryptocin (1) isolated from culture of the
endophytic fungus Cryptosporiopsis cf. quercina pres-
ent in the inner bark of the stem of Tripterygium
wilfordii has been found to be effective against Pyric-
ularia oryzae and other phytopathogens (Li et al. 2000).
Indole derivatives like 6-isoprenylindole-3-corboxylic
acid (2) has been isolated from the endophyte Collet-
otrichum sp. having growth inhibition property against
phytopathogenic fungi Phytophthora capsici, Rhizoc-
tonia cerealis, and Gaeumannomyces graminis var.
tritici (Lu et al. 2000).
Phomapsichalasin (3) an antimicrobial agent was
isolated from an endophytic fungus Phomopsis sp.
fermented on shredded wheat (Horn et al. 1995).
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 Phytochem Rev

Fig. 1 Antifungal alkaloids

(1–18) isolated from
endophytic fungi
COOH

O O
N O OH
O
H NH
N
OH Me O

1 2 3

O OH
H H
H H

H HN
HN
O O OH
O OH
O
4 5
CH2 O
H3C OH
CH3 N
CH3 NH
OH
HN O
OO CH3

O
6 7
O

O CH3
H
H3C O
H
H N
N
NH H3CO
O
8 9

HH
H O
O O
R
NH O N
H O NH
OH N
N
H
10 R=CH3 12
11 R=H

N N
SS
N OH
O
O
OH O
13 14

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Phytochem Rev
Fig. 1 continued
HO
H
H2NOC N
O O
N O
OHO O
HOH2C
HN
HO
OH
15
O
S N
RO
N S
17 R= H
18 R= Ac
Another isolate of Phomopsis sp., isolated from Gossy-
pium hirsutum has yielded antifungual compounds,
epoxycytochalasin H (4), cytochalasin N (5), and
cytochalasin H (6) in chloroform: methanol extract of
it. And they were found active against Sclerotinia
sclerotiorum, Bipolaris maydi, Fusarium oxysporum,
Botrytis cinerea, Bipolaris sorokiniana, Gaumannomy-
ces graminis var. tritici and Rhizoctonia cerealis with
IC50 value ranging from 0.1–50 lg/ml (Fu et al. 2011).
1-N-methyl albonoursin (7), an antibiotic alkaloid,
was reported from endophyte isolated as an Strepto-
myces from perennial ryegrass and having morpho-
logical similarity to Acremonium (Gurney and Mantle
1993). Antifungal mycotoxin fumigaclavine C (8) and
fumitremorgin C (9) were isolated from Aspergillus
fumigatus, an endophytic fungus of Cynodon dactylon
(Cole et al. 1977). Pyrocidine A (10) and antimicrobial
compound reported from Acremonium zeae, an endo-
phytic fungus isolated from maize (Wicklow et al.
2005). Chaetomium globosum an endophytic fungus
of Ginkgo biloba is reported to reservoir of antifungal
metabolite gliotoxin (13) (Li et al. 2011). Cryptocan-
din (15) an antifungal compound was isolated from
Cryptosporiopsis cf. quercina an endophytic fungus of
Tripterigeum wilfordii and this was found active
against plant pathogenic fungi Sclerotinia sclerotio-
rum and Botrytis cinerea (Strobel et al. 1999).
OH
OH H3CO
O
N OH
H N OH
OH
N OCH3
H OH
NHCO(CH2)14CH3
N O
H
16
O
Alkaloids from endophyte and grass interaction have
been shown to be protective against several crop pests
(Bush et al. 1997). List of antifungal alkaloids isolated
from endophytic fungi is mentioned in Table 1.
Terpenoids and steroids
Sesquiterpenes, chokols A-G (19–25) have been
isolated from Epichloe typhina an endophytic fungus
of Phleum pratense, and found to be fungitoxic to the
leaf spot disease pathogen Cladosporium phlei (Kosh-
ino et al. 1989a). Enfumafungin (28) an antifungal
terpenoid has been reported from Hormonema sp.
isolated as endophytic fungus from Juniperus com-
munis (Pelaez et al. 2000). Steroids, 3b-hydroxy-
ergosta-5-ene (29); 3-oxoergosta-4, 6, 8 (14), 22-tetr-
aene (30); 3b, 5a-dihydroxy-6b-acetoxyergosta-7,
22-diene (31) and 3b, 5a-dihydroxy-6b-phenyl- acet-
oxyergosta-7, 22-diene (32), have been reported in the
liquid culture of Colletotrichum sp. an endophytic
fungus isolated from Artimisia annua. They have
shown to have antifungal activity against Phytophtho-
ra capsici, Rhizoctonia cerealis, Helminthosporium
sativum and Gaeumannomyces graminis var. tritici
(Lu et al. 2000). Antifungal terpenoids isolated from
endophytic fungi (19–34) are mentioned in Table 2
and structures of them are given in Fig. 2.
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Table 1 Metabolites of endophytic fungi having antifungal activity—Alkaoids

Sl. Endophytic fungi Host plant Biological activity Functional metabolite reported References
No.

1 Cryptosporiopsis Tripterygium Anitfungal against Pyricularia Cryptocin (1) Strobel et al.

cf. quercine wilfordii oryzae (1999)
2 Colletotrichum Artimisia annua Antifungal (Phytophthora 6-isoprenylindole-3-corboxylic Lu et al.
sp. capsici, Rhizoctonia cerealis acid (2) (2000)
and Gaeumannomyces
graminis var. tritici
3 Phomapsis sp. Salix Antifungal, antibacterial Phomopsichalasin (3) Horn et al.
gracilostyla (1995)
var.
melanostachys
4 Phomopsis sp. Gossypium Antifungal Epoxycytochalasin H (4), Fu et al.
hirsutum Cytochalasin N (5), (2011)
Cytochalasin H (6)
5 Acremonium like Perennial Antibiotic alkaloid 1-N-Methyl albonoursin (7) Gurney and
Streptomyces ryegrass Mantle
(1993)
6 Aspergillus Cynodon Antifungal mycotoxin Fumigaclavine C (8) Cole et al.
fumigatus dactylon (L.) Fumitremorgin C (9) (1977)
CY018 Pers.
(Poaceae);
7 Acremonium zeae Zea maydis L. Antibacterial and antifungal Pyrrocidine A (10) Pyrrocidine B Wicklow et al.
(maize) (11) (2005), He
et al. (2002)
8 Penicillium Crocus sativus Antifungal and cytotoxic (-)-(1R,4R)-1,4-(2,3)- Zheng et al.
vinaceum indolmethane-1-methyl-2,4- (2012)
dihydro-1H-pyrazino-[2,1-b]-
quinazoline-3,6-dione (12)
9 Chaetomium Ginkgo biloba Antifungal Epipolythiodioxopiperazine, Li et al.
globosum Gliotoxin (13) (2011)
10 Microdiplodia sp. Lycium Antifungal and antibacterial 1,4-oxazapan-7-one (14) Siddiqui et al.
intricatum (2011)
11 Penicillium Prumnopytis Bactericidal and fungicidal Peniprequinolene (16), gliovictin Schmeda-
janczewskii, andina (human pathogen) (17), gliovictin acetate (18) Hirschmann
unidentified (Chilean et al. (2005)
fungus gymnosperm)

Isocoumarins and chromones Fonsecinone A (39) an antifungal metabolite has been

Antifungal isocoumarins and chromones isolated from
endophytic fungi are listed in Table 3. Mellein (35), an
isocoumarin derivative isolated from the endophyte
Pezicula sp. has been described to be strongly
fungicidal, herbicidal and algicidal (Schulz et al.
1995). Bioactive metabolite, 7-hydroxymellein (37)
has been isolated from Penicillium sp. an endophytic
fungus of Alibertia macrophylla (Oliveira et al. 2011),
which has strong antifungal activity against Clado-
sporium cladosporioides and C. sphaerospermum.
isolated from Aspergillus niger, endophytic fungus of
Cynodon dactylon (Song et al. 2004). Structures of the
antifungal isocoumarins and chromones isolated from
endophytic fungi (35–39) are given in Fig. 3.
Phenolics and phenolic esters
Antifungal phenolics isolated from endophytic fungi
are listed in Table 4. Colletotric acid (43), a phenolic
antifungal compound, has been isolated from liquid
culture of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides, which is an

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Table 2 Metabolites of endophytic fungi having antifungal activity—Terpenoids and steroids

Sl. Endophytic Host plant Biological activity Functional metabolite reported References
No. fungi

12 Epichloe Phleum pretense Fungitoxic to Cladosporium phlei Sesquiterpenes- Chokols A-G Koshino
typhina (19–25) et al.
(1989b)
13 Phomopsis Cassia Antifungal Cadinane sesquiterpenes Silva et al.
cassiae spectabilis (2006)
(Leguminosae)
14 Hormonema sp. Juniperus Antifungal Enfumafungin (26) Pelaez
communis et al.
(Cupressaceae); (2000)
15 Xylaria sp. Piper aduncum Antifungal Phomenone (27) Silva et al.
Phaseolinone (28) (2010)
16 Colletotrichum Artimisia annua Antifungal (Phytophthora capsici, 3b-hydroxyergosta-5-ene (29); Lu et al.
sp. Helminthosporium sativum, 3-oxoergosta-4, 6,8 (14), (2000)
Rhizoctonia cerealis and 22-tetraene (30); 3b, 5a-
Gaeumannomyces graminis var. dihydroxy-6b-acetoxyergosta-7,
tritici 22-diene (31) and 3b, 5a-
dihydroxy-6b-phenyl-
acetoxyergosta-7, 22-diene (32)
17 Phoma sp. Arisaema Antifungal b-sitosterol (33) Wang
erubescens et al.
(2012)
18 Alternaria Mallus halliana Antibacterial Cerevisterol (34) Gu (2009)
brassicicola Antifungal

endophytic fungus of Artemisia mongolica and was
effective against Helminthosporium sativum (Zou et al.
2000). This compound was also found inhibitory to the
bacteria Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, and
Sarcina lutea. Orcinol (44) having strong antifungal
activity against Cladosporium cladosporioides and
C. sphaerospermum has been isolated from Penicil-
lium sp. an endophytic fungus of Alibertia macrophylla
(Oliveira et al. 2009). Chlorogenic acid (45), produced
by several plants to defend themselves against patho-
gens, has been isolated from Sordariomycete sp. an
endophytic fungi of Eucomia ulmoides, a traditional
medicinal plant of China (Chen et al. 2010). Root
infection with endophytic fungi produces more phen-
olics and elicits greater plant defense reaction (Schulz
et al. 1999). Pestalotiopsis microscopra an endophytic
fungus of Terminalia morobensis has yielded an
antifungal compound, isopestacin (46) (Harper et al.
2003). Liu et al. (2009) have reported Pestalofones D-E
(49–50) from endophytic fungus Pestalotiopsis fici
possessing antifungal property. Botryorhodines A (59)
and B (60) have been isolated from Botryosphaeria
rhodina, an endophytic fungus of the medicinal plant
Bidens pilosa and they have antifungal activity against
pathogenic strain of Fusarium oxysporum (Abdou et al.
2010). Chaetomium cupreum an endophyte of Mac-
leaya cordata has produced oosporein (61), which has
showed antifungal activity against R. solani, Botrytis
cineria and Pythium ultimum (Mao et al. 2010). A new
a-tetralone derivative, (3S)-3,6,7-trihydroxy-a-tetra-
lone (67) was isolated by Wang et al. (2012) from ethyl
acetate extract of endophytic fungus Phoma sp. This
new tetralone metabolite has shown antifungal activity
against plant pathogenic fungi Fusarium oxysporum
and Rhizoctonia solani. Cytosporone B (71) an anti-
fungal compound isolated from several endophytic
fungi of diverse host plant, which include Cytospora
sp. from Conocorpus erecta (Brady et al. 2000a),
Diaporthe sp from Forsteronia spicata (Brady et al.
2000b), Dothiorella sp. from Aegiceras corniculatum
(Xu et al. 2004) and Phomopsis sp. from mangrove
plants (Huang et al. 2008). Production of griseofulvin
(74) and dechlorogriseofulvin (75) from Xylaria sp.
has been reported for the first time. Xylaria sp. is an
endophytic fungus of Abies holophylla. In vitro and
in vivo test of griseofulvin have shown antifungal

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Fig. 2 Antifungal OH
terpenoids and steroids
(19–34) isolated from
OH OH
endophytic fungi H

RO OH HO

19 R=H 20 21
24 R= Ac

OH OH
HO
HO
H OH HO OH

22 23 25

O OH
CH3 CH3
HO O CH3 OH CH 3

HO O CH3 O
O H3C OH
CH3
HO O HO
OH CH3 O
H
26 27

OH H
O
HO
O
HH
O HO

28 29

H
H
HO
OH
O OR

30 31 R= COCH3
32 R= COCH2C6H5

H H
H
H

HH HO
HO OH OH
33 34

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Table 3 Metabolites of endophytic fungi having antifungal activity—Isocoumarins and Chromones

Sl. Endophytic fungi Host plant Biological activity Functional metabolite reported References
No.

19 Microdochium bolleyi Fagonia critica Antifungal and Isocoumarin derivative Zhang et al.
antialgal (2008)
20 Pezicula sp. Fungicidal, herbicidal, Isocoumarin derivative- Schulz et al.
algicidal Mellein (35) (1995)
21 Penicillium Prumnopytis andina Bactericidal and Mellein (35) Schmeda-
janczewskii, (Chilean fungicidal (human Hirschmann
unidentified fungus gymnosperm) pathogen) et al. (2005)
22 Xylaria sp. Piper aduncun Antifungal Dihydroisocoumarins (36) Oliveira et al.
(2011)
23 Penicillium sp. Alibertia macrophylla Antifiungal (R)-7-hydroxymellein (37), Oliveira et al.
(3R, 4R)-4, (2011)
7-dihydroxymellein (38)
24 Aspergillus niger Cynodon dactylon Antifungal, xanthine Fonsecinone A (39) Song et al.
IFB-E003 (L.) Pers. (Poaceae) oxidase inhibitor (2004)

Fig. 3 Antifungal O
isocoumarins and O OH OH O
chromones (35–39) isolated O
HO
from endophytic fungi O O
HO CH3
H3C CO2HOH CH3

35 36 37
OCH3OH O

H3CO O CH3
H3CO OCH3
O
O CH3
HO O
CH3
HO
OH O
38 39

activity against, Magnaporthe grisea, Coryicium sa-
saki, Puccinia recondita, and Blumeria graminis f. sp.
hordei (Park et al. 2005). Griseofulvin has also been
isolated from Penicillium canescens an endophytic
fungus of Polygonatum cyrtonema (Wang et al. 2010).
Griseofulvin from P. canescens has shown strong
antifungal activity against B. cinerea, S. sclerotiorum,
Colletotrichum orbiculare and Didymella bryoniae
with EC50 values of 0.68, 0.61, 0.38, 0.91 mg/l
respectively. Structures of the antifungal phenolics
and phenloic esters isolated from endophytic fungi
(40–75) are given in Fig. 4.
Volatiles
Muscador albus an endophytic fungus from a rainfor-
est has proven to be potent fumigant, which has
protected the fruits and vegetables during storage.
Fumigant property of endophytic fungus is due to the
production of volatile organic compounds (VOCs).

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Table 4 Metabolites of endophytic fungi having antifungal activity—phenolics and phenolic esters
Sl. No. Endophytic Host plant Biological activity Functional metabolite reported References
fungi

25 Pezicula sp. Tree Fungicidal Phenols- 2-Methoxy-4-hydroxy-6- Schulz et al.

methoxymethylbenzaldehyde (40) (1995)
26 Penicillium Prumnopytis andina Bactericidal and 4-(2-hydroxyethyl) phenol (41), Schmeda-
janczewskii, (Chilean fungicidal (human p- hydroxybenzaldehyde (42) Hirschmann
unidentified gymnosperm) pathogen) et al. (2005)
fungus
27 Colletotrichum Artemisia mangolica Antifungal Colletotric acid (43) Zou et al. (2000)
gloeosporoides
28 Penicillium sp. Alibertia macrophylla Antifungal Orcinol (44) Oliveira et al.
(2009)
29 Sordariomycete sp. Euconia ulmoides Antifungal Chlorogenic acid (45) Chen et al.
(2010)
30 Pestalotiopsis Terminalia morobensis Antifungal Isopestacin (46) Harper et al.
microspora L. (Combretaceae) (2003)
31 Edenia Callicarpa acuminata Antifungal Preussomerin EG1 (47), 1b (48) Macı́as-
gomezpompae (Verbanaceae) Rubalcava
et al. (2008)
32 Pestalotiopsis fici Antifungal Pestalofones D-E (49–50) Liu et al. (2009)
33 Nodulisporium sp. Erica arboreal Antifungal Nodulisporins D-F (51–53), Dai et al. (2009)
Antialgal 5-hydroxy-2-hydroxymethyl-4H-
chromen-4-one (54), 3
Antibacterial -(2,3-dihydroxyphenoxy)-butanoic
acid (55)
34 Alternaria Mallus halliana Antibacterial Altechromone A (56) Gu (2009)
brassicicola Antifungal Alternariol (57), alternariol 9-methyl
ether (58),
35 Botryosphaeria Bidens pilosa Antifungal Botryorhodines A-B (59–60) Abdou et al.
rhodina (2010)
36 Chaetomium Macleaya cordata Antifungal Oosporein (61) Mao et al.
cupreum (2010)
37 Microdiplodia sp. Lycium intricatum Antifungal and Hexahydroxanthone (62), 2,3- Siddiqui et al.
antibacterial dihydrochroman-4-one (63), (2011)
7-oxoxanthone (64)
38 Phomopsis sp. Antibacterial, Phomochromone A (65) and B (66) Ahmed et al.
antifungal (2011)
39 Phoma sp. Arisaema erubescens Antifungal (3S)-3,6,7-trihydroxy-a-tetralone (67), Wang et al.
Cercosporamide (68) (2012)
40 Pestalotiopsis Antifungal Pestaphthalides A (69) and B (70) Ding et al.
foedan (2008)
41 Cytospora sp. CR Conocarpus erecta L. Antifungal, cytotoxic Cytosporone B (71) Brady et al.
200 (Combretaceae) (2000a)
42 Diaporthe sp. CR Forsteronia spicata G. Antifungal, cytotoxic Cytosporone B Brady et al.
146 Meyer (2000b)
(Apocynaceae)
43 Dothiorella sp. Aegiceras Antifungal, cytotoxic Cytosporone B Xu et al. (2004)
strain HTF3 corniculatum
Gaertner.
(Myrsinaceae)
44 Phomopsis sp. Mangrove plants Antifungal Cytosporone B and C (72) Huang et al.
ZSU-H76 (2008)
45 Penicillium Antimicrobial Penicilisorin (73) Arunpanichlert
sclerotiorum et al. (2010)
PSU-A13

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Fig. 4 Antifungal OH
phenolics and phenolic
esters (40–75) isolated from H
H3CO HO
endophytic fungi OCH3 OH
OH
CHO O

40 41 42

OMe

OH O
O
O
O OH
HO
OH O HO OH

43 44

OH O
CO2H O OH
HO O
OH
O OH H3C

HO OH HO

45 46

O
OH
O OH O OCOCH3 HO

O O O O O
O O HO
OCOCH3
OCH3
HO
O
O O H3COOC
47 48 49

O
HO
OH
HO
OH OH
O
O OCH3 O
O CH3
O

OH O COOCH3 CH3
50 51

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 Phytochem Rev

Fig. 4 continued OH OH OH

O O OH
O OH OMe O OH
HO
CH3 CH3 O
52 53 54
O OH

O OH O CH3 O

O OH
OH
OH H3C O OH HO CH3

55 56 57

OCH3 O
O R HO O O OH
CH3

OH HO OH Me Me
O
HO O O O H O OH
HO O

58 59 R= H 61
60 R= CH3
OH OCH3
O CH2OH OH O O
H
O
O O
OH HO O OH
OH O OH OH O OH

62 63 64
O
OH HO
R1
HO O O
R2 OH
HO O
O
R3 O
O HO OH H2N

65 R1=R3=H, R2=Me 67 68
66 R1=Me, R2=H, R3=OH
OH O OH O CO2CH2CH3
HO
O O
HO HO (CH2)6CH3

HO HO OH O

69 70 71

OH O O OO
HO O
O
O OMe O
MeO H3CO
OH (CH2)6CH3 O R H3C

72 73 74 R= Cl
75 R= H

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Phytochem Rev

Table 5 Metabolites of endophytic fungi having antifungal activity—Others

Sl. Endophytic Host plant Biological Functional metabolite reported References
No. fungi activity

46 Epichloe Phleum pretense Antifungal Aliphatic compound Koshino et al. (1989b)

typhina
47 Pestalotiopsis Fragraea bodenii Antifungal Jesterone (76) Hydroxyjesterone (77) Li and Strobel (2001)
jesteri Thunb.
(Gentianaceae)
48 Edenia Callicarpa acuminata Antifungal Preussomerin EG1a (78) Macı́as-Rubalcava
gomezpompae (Verbanaceae) et al. (2008)
49 Pestalotiopsis Antifungal Pestalofones A-C (79–81) Liu et al. (2009)
fici
50 Nodulisporium Erica arboreal Antifungal (3S, 4S, 5R)-2,4,6-trtmelhylocl-6-ene- Dai et al. (2009)
sp. Antialgal 3r5-diol (82)
Antibacterial
51 Unidentified Meliotus dentatus Antifungal Polyketides and steroids Hussain et al. (2009)
Ascomycete Antialgal
Antibacterial
52 Alternaria Mallus halliana Antibacterial Herbarin A (83) Gu (2009)
brassicicola Antifungal
53 Trichoderma Cork Oak Antifungal Peptaibols Maddau et al. (2009)
citrinoviride
54 Gliomastix Paris polyphylla var. Antimicrobial, Volatile oil mixed of Palmitic acid (84), Zhao et al. (2009)
murorum and yunnanensis antifungal (E)-9-octadecenoic acid (85),
Pichia 6-pentyl-5,6-dihydropyran-2-one
guilliermondii (86), (7Z, 10Z)-7,10-hexadecadienoic
acid (87)
55 Phoma sp. Arisaema erubescens Antifungal Trichodermin (88) Wang et al. (2012)
56 Aspergillus Taxus mairei (Leme0 e Antifungal, Brefeldin A (89) Wang et al. (2002);
clavatus & Le0 v.) and antiviral, Betina (1992); Vurro
strain H-037 Torreya grandis anticancer, et al. (1998); Zhu
Arn. (Taxaceae) herbicidal et al. (2000)
57 Paecilomyces Taxus mairei (Leme0 e Antifungal, Brefeldin A Wang et al. (2002)
sp. H-036 and & Le0 v) and antiviral,
W-001 Torreya grandis anticancer,
Arn. (Taxaceae) herbicidal
58 Fusidium sp. Antifungal Fusidilactones D (90) and E (91) Qin et al. (2009)
Antialgal
Antibacterial
59 Phomopsis sp. Azadirachta indica Antifungal 10-membered lactones Wu et al. (2008)
(Meliaceae)
60 Pestalotiopsis Antifungal Pestafolide A (92) Ding et al. (2008)
foedan
61 Pestalotiopsis Rainforest tree Antifungal Ambuic acid (93) Li et al. (2001)
sp.
62 Penicillium Antimicrobial Penicilazaphilones A (94) and B (95) Arunpanichlert et al.
sclerotiorum (2010)
PSU-A13

Most effective class of inhibitory compound was acids. None of these compounds was effective indi-
esters (1-butanol, 3-methyl- acetate) and other com- vidually but due to synergistic effect collectively they
ponents of VOCs were alcohols, ketones, lipids, and were most effective. They also prevented the growth

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O OCOCH3

OH

R O O
O O O

O O
HO
HO O

76 R= H 78 79
77 R= OH

O O
O O

OH OH

HO O HO

O OH O OH HO

80 81 82

O
HO
O
O

83

O OH O OH

84 85

O
O O
O
OH
O
O O

86 87 88

Fig. 5 Other antifungal compounds (76–95) isolated from endophytic fungi

of common agricultural pest, like smut, water mold Magnaporthe grisea have been isolated from Glio-
and root rot (Strobel et al. 2001, Strobel 2006). mastix murorum and Pichia guilliermondii 2 endo-
Volatile oils having antifungal activity against phytic fungi of Paris polyphylla var. yunnanensis

123
Phytochem Rev

Fig. 5 continued
OH OH H OH
OH O
H O
O CH3
HO OH OH
H O O
H O O
89 90 91

O
O COOH
HO O

HO O
O
OH OH
92 93
Me

Me
R1 R7 R8
O
R2 Me
O
MeR RR4 5R
3 6

O O
94 R1=R4=R5=R6=H, R2=R3=OH, R7+R8= Me Me
95 R1=R4=R5=R6=H, R2=R3=R7=R8=OH

(Zhao et al. 2009). Antifungal activity was tested for
ability of volatile oils to inhibit spore germination of
M. grisea. The mean inhibitory concentration of the
volatile oils was 0.84 mg/ml for G. murorum and
1.56 mg/ml for P. guilliermondii.
Others
Table 5 enlists the other compounds isolated from
endophytic fungi having antifungal activity. Jesterone
(76) and hydroxyjesterone (77) 2 antifungal com-
pounds were isolated from Pestalotiopsis jesteri an
endophytic fungus of Fragraea bodenii (Li and Strobel
2001). Liu et al. (2009) have reported pestalofones A-C
(79–81) from endophytic fungus Pestalotiopsis fici
possessing antifungal property. Brefeldin A (89) an
antifungal and antimicrobial lactone has been reported
from several endophytic fungi of diverse host plants,
which include Aspergillus clavatus and Paecilomyces
sp. from Taxus mairei and Torreya grandis and
Cladosporium sp. from Quercus variabilis (Wang
et al. 2002, 2007). Fungicidal molecule has been
isolated from Pezicula sp. (Schulz et al. 1995) and
Epichloe typhina (host: Phleum pratense L.) (Koshino
et al. 1989b). Pestalotiopsis spp. and Monochaetia sp.,
biologically related endophytic fungi isolated from
many tropical rainforest plants have produced ambuic
acid (93), a highly functionalized cyclohexane having
antifungal activity (Li et al. 2001). Peptaibols, a
peptide mixture isolated from Trichoderma citrinovi-
ride, an endophytic fungus of cork oak, showed strong
antifungal activity against fungal pathogens involved
in oak decline (Maddau et al. 2009). This again
supplement the fact that fungi are changing and/or
broadening their niche by colonizing the living plant as
well, while they are saprophytic and were essentially
living on dead organic matter. Trichoderma sp. and
Beaveria bassiana, economically very important, have
been 2 such species to be isolated from living healthy
plants as endophyte with higher frequency. Likewise

123

their saprophytic isolates, endophytic strains are also
protecting the plants by inhibiting the growth of the
pest with their metabolites too. Cai et al. (2009) have
isolated antifungal spirobisnaphthalenes from endo-
phytic fungus of Dioscorea zingiberensis.
Other secondary metabolites occurring in different
host endophyte interaction consisted of quinones,
peptides, pentaketides and phenols (Tan and Zou
2001). Structures of other antifungal compounds
isolated from endophytic fungi (76–95) are given in
Fig. 5.
Conclusion
Metabolites of endophytic fungi offer great promise to
be developed in fungicidal molecule. Several anti-
fungal compounds of diverse chemical group have
been isolated from endophytic fungi of terrestrial
plants. During in vitro testing these molecules proved
to have excellent antifungal activity. These molecules
can be further adopted as greener biopesticide upon
testing their toxicity on non-target organisms and its
adverse impact on human health. Since use of
endophytic fungi per se as biocontrol agent has several
technological barrier including right substrate, its
longevity, viability and efficacy during large scale
production, transportation and storage. These prob-
lems can be avoided if biofungicide is developed from
the molecule/compound responsible for the antifungal
activity of endophytic fungi.
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