BIOACTIVITY-GUIDED METABOLITE PROFILING OF NODULISPORIUM VERRUCOSUM, AN ENDOPHYTIC FUNGI ISOLATED FROM TAXUS WALLICHIANA

Endophytic fungi associated with medicinal plants are important sources of biologically active secondary metabolites. Taxus wallichiana Zucc., a medicinal plant native to the Himalayan region, harbors diverse endophytic fungi with potential biotechnological and pharmaceutical applications. This study aimed to investigate the bioactivities and metabolite composition of Nodulisporium verrucosum (T3I) isolated from T. wallichiana. The isolate (T3I) was identified as N. verrucosum based on morphological characteristics and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequence analysis. Its crude extract was evaluated for antimicrobial and antioxidant activities, total phenolic and flavonoid contents, and metabolite composition using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS)-based profiling.  The extract showed selective antimicrobial activity against Enterococcus faecalis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Candida albicans, with inhibition zones of 12.33 ± 0.57, 8.67 ± 0.57, and 10.67 ± 0.57 mm, respectively. Antioxidant activity was concentration-dependent, with DPPH and ABTS IC₅₀ values of 162.5 and 25.37 μg/mL, respectively. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents were 13.37 ± 1.47 mg GAE/g and 1.20 ± 0.04 mg QE/g, respectively. LC–MS profiling revealed diverse putatively annotated metabolites, including phenolic acids, flavonoids, coumarins, alkaloids, and other fungal metabolites. Overall, N. verrucosum demonstrated notable antioxidant and selective antimicrobial activities, highlighting its potential as a source of biologically active secondary metabolites.