Morphological and Bio-potential investigation of Fruticose lichens from Nilgiri mountain
N. Hemashenpagam1, S. Selvajeyanthi2 and T. Akshya Bharathi3
1,3Department of Microbiology, Hindusthan College of Arts and Science, Coimbatore-641028 (India) 2Department of Microbiology, Shri Nehru Maha Vidyalaya College of Arts and Science, Coimbatore-641050 (India) *Corresponding author: drhemashenpagam@gmail.com
ABSTRACT
Lichens are catching the interest of experts all around the world as new substantial sources of bioactive compounds in this area. A symbiotic organism known as lichen is made up of a fungal partner (Mycobiont) along with one or more photosynthetic partners (photobiont). They frequently grow as epiphytes on trees and shrubs as well as on rock surfaces, poorly developed soils as those in desert zones and boreal polar regions. Because cultivating lichens is challenging, experimental lichenology has lagged significantly behind descriptive investigations. This analysis of research goal is to identify different lichen species using morphological and chemical investigations. The fruticose-lichen species were collected from the Nilgiris Mountain in Tamil Nadu, India, and were first identified using a variety of traditional methods before having their bio-potentials assessed. In order to ascertain their growth type and thallus colour, they underwent anatomical dissection. Spot tests, micro-crystallography, chemical analysis of lichen extracts, and micro-crystallography were all employed to identify the species. Finding the lichen’s secondary metabolites is the objective. The results showed the presence of essential oils, saponins, quinones, alkaloids, sterols, terpenes, tannins, flavonoids, and other secondary metabolites. Thin layer chromatography (TLC) was employed to verify the phytochemicals’ qualitative characterisation. The diversity of metabolites in extracts was demonstrated by separating distinct molecules of each secondary metabolite. Spots represented the TLC result, and an Rf value represented the frontal report. The well diffusion test was used to analyse the antimicrobial components.