Free Recent Research about Mycology Essay Sample
In the modern society, research has continued revealing the influx of cancer and tumor related ailments, which continue affecting a certain segment of the population. These people who are affected need to access feasible treatment options in order to alleviate their suffering. However, in the face high cumulative costs of treating cancers and tumors, this leaves the patients will limited choices regarding the mode of treatment that can be actively pursued, especially those belonging to developing nations. The medicinal plants used in Thailand to treat these cancers and tumors provide a cheaper and reliable option by virtue of their containing medicinal fungi that produce Asparaginase enzyme, a substance used in chemotherapeutic treatment of the same conditions.
This research study fundamentally aims at establishing the efficacy level of Asparaginase enzyme produced by chosen endophytic fungi strains. In essence, 15 strains of endophytic fungi were to chosen to produce the cancer inhibiting asparaginases in order to establish their anti-proliferation activity performed on two chosen cancer cell lines. In addition, the research intended to establish the applicability, suitability and viability of Thai medicinal plants as a mode of cancer and tumor treatment as seen in the Thai setting.
The methods used in collecting the data needed to prove the research hypotheses entailed the application of quantitative and qualitative techniques. First, there was need isolate the endophytic fungi strains from Thai medicinal plants using required protocols for isolation that entail the use of culturation techniques. Secondly, colony and hyphal morphology identified in the fungal cultures was used to single out endophytic fungi. Thirdly, DNA extraction techniques and ITS-rDNA amplification and sequence analysis techniques were applied. Finally, progressive assays were performed on the glutaminase and asparaginase through quantitative analysis, qualitative analysis, and In vitro assay to establish ongoing cytotoxicity activity.
In the results of the study a total of 15 aspariginase producing endophytic fungi isolates were identified belonging to Fusarium, Colletotrichum, Penicillium, and Eupenicillium species. After replication of the isolates and performing quantitative analysis revealed that fifty three isolates showed proactive asparaginase activity. There was significant cytotoxicity exhibited by asparaginase for the two cancer lines, for instance, in one assay HepG2 and CaCO2 cell lines showed a change of 31.43-228.57% and 0-69.31% in terms of cell viability respectively. Hence, the research proved that medicinal plants are viable to be used as bioactive phytochemicals.
The fact that patients treated with asparaginase show low levels of glutaminase in blood presents a potential threat. It is therefore necessary to conduct further research in order to establish asparaginase strains from endophytic fungi capable of only attacking asparagines as opposed to glutamine in blood.