BackgroundPresent study focuses on diversity and distribution analysis of endophytic fungi associated with different tissues of the Monarda citriodora Cerv. ex Lag. (Lamiaceae/Labiatae). Anticancer and antimicrobial potential of isolated endophytes have also been investigated.ResultsA total of twenty eight fungal endophytes belonging to 11 different genera were isolated from this plant. All the endophytic fungi belonged to the Ascomycota phylum. The leaves were immensely rich in fungal species, while roots showed the highest tissue specific fungal dominance. Out of 28 fungal species, 72% endophytic extracts were found cytotoxic against one or more human cancer cell lines. The most prominent anticancer activity (IC50 value <10 μg/mL) was shown by MC-14 L (Fusarium oxysporum), MC-14 F (F. oxysporum), MC-18 L (Aspergillus fumigatus), MC-24 L (Cladosporium tenuissimum), MC-25 L (Fusarium sp.), MC-26 F (F. oxysporum) extracts. 75% of the extracts showed antimicrobial activities in agar disc-diffusion assay and 27% in the tube dilution method (MIC <100 μg/mL) respectively against the tested pathogens. Extracts of MC-14 L (F. oxysporum) and MC-18 L (A. fumigatus) displayed broad spectrum antimicrobial activity.ConclusionsThese results indicated that M. citriodora harbors a rich fungal endophytic community with anticancer and antimicrobial activities. The isolated endophyte MC-24 L (C. tenuissimum) has the potential to be a source of novel cytotoxic/antimicrobial compounds. This is the first report of diversity of fungal endophytes isolated from M. citriodora.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12866-017-0961-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Background: Cancer is one of the leading causes of global mortality and recently, it has been established that there is a link between periodontal disease and various types of cancer. In Nigeria, chewing sticks are used especially in the rural areas to maintain oral hygiene and to prevent periodontal disease. Mezoneuron benthamianum is a plant that is used locally as a chewing stick in the southwest of Nigeria, but there has been no report on its anticancer properties.Aim: This study is aimed at determining the anticancer activity using sulforhodamine B (SRB) assay and brine shrimp cytotoxic activity of the extracts of M. benthamianum.Setting: The roots of M. benthamianum were obtained from Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria, and were identified and authenticated at the University of Ibadan Herbarium.Methods: The plant sample was subsequently dried, pulverised and extracted with hexane, dichloromethane, ethyl acetate and methanol to give the different extracts which were tested against four cell lines (Lung A549, Lung NCI-H322, Breast T47D and Prostate PC-3) using the SRB assay and were also evaluated against brine shrimp nauplii.Results: The results of the study showed that the different extracts of M. benthamianum had selective and consistent cytotoxic activity against the Lung (A549), Lung (NCI-H322) and Breast (T47D) cell lines, having a percentage growth inhibition ranging from 36% to 63%. The hexane and dichloromethane extracts also gave LC50 values of 99.96 and 29.29 against brine shrimp cytotoxic activity.Conclusion: These results justify the use of M. benthamianum in folkloric medicine.

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