INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ADVANCE RESEARCH
IN MULTIDISCIPLINARY

Antimicrobial resistance is emerging as one of the gravest threats to global public health, leading to the inefficacy of conventional antibiotics and resulting in the resurgence of infections once considered easily treatable. In this context, endophytic fungi are increasingly being investigated for their biosynthetic potential to produce novel bioactive secondary metabolites. This study focuses on fungal endophytes isolated from Ficus pumila, a widely distributed medicinal plant in Asia, known for its therapeutic applications in traditional medicine. The primary objective of the study is to isolate and identify endophytic fungi from Ficus pumila and to assess their antimicrobial activity against common pathogenic bacteria and fungi. The investigation involved surface sterilisation of Ficus pumila leaves, stems, and roots, followed by isolation and purification of fungal colonies. Morphological and molecular characterisation of the endophytes was performed to determine species identity. Crude extracts were prepared using ethyl acetate and tested for antimicrobial activity using agar well diffusion and broth dilution methods. Several isolates demonstrated significant inhibition against Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Escherichia coli, and Candida albicans, suggesting the presence of potent bioactive compounds. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of selected extracts was also determined. Preliminary phytochemical analysis indicated the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, and terpenoids in the most active extracts, and chemical profiling through LC-MS and NMR hinted at the novelty of these secondary metabolites. This research reinforces the potential of fungal endophytes from Ficus pumila as promising candidates in the discovery of new antimicrobial compounds, especially at a time when existing antibiotics are failing. By leveraging both classical microbiological methods and modern analytical techniques, the study contributes to the understanding of plant-fungal symbiosis as a bioresource for drug discovery and positions Ficus pumila-derived endophytes as viable leads in the global fight against antimicrobial resistance.