Trichoderma asperellum Extract Isolated from Brazil Nuts (Bertholletia excelsa BONPL): In Vivo and In Silico Studies on Melanogenesis in Zebrafish

Abstract

Endophytic fungi are those that present part of their life cycle in healthy tissues of different plant hosts in symbiosis without causing harm. At the same time, fungus-plant symbiosis makes it possible for microorganisms to synthesize their own bioactive secondary metabolites while in the stationary stage. To accomplish this, the endophytic fungus Trichoderma asperellum was isolated from Bertholletia excelsa (Brazil nut) almonds. The fungus was cultivated and extracted with ethyl acetate, obtaining AM07Ac. Then, using HPTLC (High-performance thin-layer chromatography) and nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR), β-amyrin, kaempferol, and brucine were identified as major compounds. Further in vivo assays in zebrafish demonstrated the activity of AM07Ac on melanogenesis by producing a concentration–response inhibitory effect, which, through an in silico study, proved to be related to the noted major compounds known to inhibit tyrosinase activity. The inhibition of tyrosinase prevents melanin accumulation in skin. Therefore, these results imply the importance of investigating microorganisms and their pharmacological activities, in particular the endophytic fungus Trichoderma asperellum as a generator of active metabolites for melanogenesis modulation.

Metabolomics‐based pharmaceutical evaluation of different parts of Swertia chirayita (Roxb.) Buch.‐Ham. ex C.B. Clarke from the western Himalayas

“…The important binding interactions with Tyr362 and Ser394 were observed common for all the natural molecules with tyrosinase protein. These interactions were observed important to interact with the tyrosinase enzyme [29, 30]. These natural molecules (gentiopicroside, sweroside, and swertiamarin) were found to have low binding affinities against both AChE and BChE proteins (Figures S15, S17, and S20–S24) as compared to co‐crystalized ligands (Table 3).…”