IV. Natural Product Chemistry
II. 1. Isolation of secondary metabolites from Endophytic fungi
Secondary metabolites isolated from endophytic fungi are an emerging source for potential lead molecule discovery and drug development for a variety of diseases. I worked on discovering cytotoxic and antibacterial compounds isolated from Rauwolfia Serpentina-associated endophytic fungi Cladosporium sp. I separated the endophytic fungi Cladosporium sp from the bark of Rauwolfia serpentina, followed by large-scale cultivation, extraction, isolation, purification, and characterization of secondary metabolites. Purified molecules, crude extracts, and column fractions were screened against bacterial and fungal strains and cancer cell lines. We also performed brine shrimp lethality and antioxidant studies of those fractions.
Figure II.1: Bioactive natural products isolation from Cladosporium sp.
1. Khan M.I.H.; Sohrab, M.H.; Rony, S.R.; Tareq F.S.; Hasan, C.M.; Mazid, M.A.* Cytotoxic and antibacterial naphthoquinones from an endophytic fungus, Cladosporium sp. Toxicology Reports 2016, 3, 861-865.
II. 2. Isolation of natural products from Plants
Natural products and their structurally inspired analogs are major sources of drug discovery and development for various diseases, including cancers and infectious diseases. I worked in bioassay-guided fractionation of crude medicinal plant extract to discover potential lead compounds.
Solanum Violaceum
Capparis spinosa
1. Kdimy, A.; Kim, S.J.; Ali, Z.; Khan, M.I.H.; Hajjaji, S.E.*; Le, H.V.* Two Phthalate and Terephthalate Plasticizers Unprecedently Isolated from Capparis spinosa L. Leaves. Chemistry and Biodiversity; 2023
2. Ahamed, S.K.; Khan, M.I.H.; Billah, M.M.; Hossain, S.M.* Methanol Extract of Solanum Violaceum Root Possesses Antiobesity, Hypolipidemic, Thrombolytic and Membrane-Stabilizing Activity; Journal of Research in Pharmacy, 2018, 22(1), 96-102.