Antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and peroxidase-mediated cyclooxygenase-1 inhibitory properties of Fusarium solani extract

Context: Nigerian soil fungi population is unexplored. It is hypothesized that they harbour new bioactive chemicals. This hypothesis is based on the large percentage of currently approved medicines that originated from soil-inhabiting micro-organisms Objectives: To investigate the antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory properties of Fusarium solani ethyl acetate (EtOAc) extract selected based on its broad spectrum of antimicrobial potential in an overlay experiment with seven other soil fungi strains. Materials and methods: Fungus number 6 (F6), identified by molecular characterization as Fusarium solani (Mart.) Sacc (Nectriaceae) was selected for studies from eight purified soil fungi due to its superior broad-spectrum antibiotics producing potential following agar overlay experiment. F6 was fermented for 21 d and the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of its EtOAc fermentation extract (dose range: 12.5–100 µg/mL) was determined using agar dilution method for Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhi and anti-inflammatory properties determined using rat-paw (250–500 mg/kg) and xylene induced oedema (250–500 µg/kg) (in Swiss albino rats and mice) models, respectively. The ability of the extract to inhibit cyclooxygenase (COX) enzyme was also determined in vitro using Cayman test kit-760111. Result: The MIC of the EtOAc extract was