Antimalarial Potential of Endophytic Fungi from Rhizophora apiculata Roots in Sidodadi Village, Lampung: An In Vitro Study: Potensi Antimalaria Cendawan Endofit dari Akar Rhizophora apiculata di Desa Sidodadi, Lampung: Studi In Vitro

ABSTRACT

Malaria remains a major global health threat as Plasmodium parasites transmitted by female Anopheles mosquitoes increasingly develop resistance to frontline drugs. Mangrove plants are rich in terpenoids, alkaloids, and flavonoids with potent antiplasmodial activity, but harvesting large biomass jeopardises fragile coastal ecosystems. Endophytic fungi residing inside plant tissues can synthesise the same metabolites as their hosts, thus offering a sustainable source of new antimalarial leads. This study aimed to isolate and characterise root-derived endophytic fungi from Rhizophora apiculata growing in Sidodadi Village and to evaluate their antimalarial potential. Root segments were surface-sterilised and plated on potato dextrose agar; emerging colonies were sub-cultured until ten pure isolates were obtained. Crude filtrate and mycelial extracts were screened in vitro using the haem-polymerisation inhibition assay. Isolate B.S.CE7 exhibited the highest activity, inhibiting β-haematin formation by 91.4 % and 78.6 % in filtrate and biomass extracts, respectively, with IC₅₀ values of 0.24 mg mL¹ and 0.70 mg mL¹ (chloroquine control 0.14 mg mL¹). Morphological examination placed B.S.CE7 in the genus Aspergillus. Phytochemical tests revealed the presence of alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, and terpenoids, compounds commonly implicated in antiplasmodial mechanisms such as haem detoxification blockade. These results demonstrate that mangrove-associated Aspergillus sp. is a promising reservoir of antimalarial metabolites comparable in potency to established drugs. The study highlights the value of exploring endophytes to expand the natural-product pipeline while conserving mangrove biodiversity and provides a foundation for compound isolation.