Characterization, culture medium optimization and antioxidant activity of an endophytic vitexin-producing fungus Dichotomopilus funicola Y3 from pigeon pea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.]

The aim of this study was to characterize a fungal endophyte Y3 from pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan [L.] Millsp), as a novel producer of vitexin, and its culture medium optimization and antioxidant activity. The endophyte from the leaves of pigeon pea was identified as Dichotomopilus funicola by the morphological and molecular characteristics. The most important medium variables affecting vitexin production in liquid culture of D. funicola Y3 were screened by Plackett–Burman design, and three culture medium constituents (i.e. l‐phenylalanine, salicylic acid and CuSO4·5H2O) were identified to play significant roles in vitexin production. The most significant factors were further optimized using by central composite design with response surface methodology. The DPPH radical‐scavenging assay indicated that fungal vitexin exhibited notable antioxidant activity with an EC50 value of 164 μg l−1. First, a novel endophyte vitexin‐producing Dichotomopilus funicola Y3 was isolated from pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan[L.] Millsp.). The maximum vitexin yield was obtained as 78·86 mg l−1 under the optimum culture medium constituents: 0·06 g l−1 l‐phenylalanine, 0·21 g l−1 salicylic acid, and 0·19 g l−1 CuSO4·5H2O in medium, which is 4·59‐fold higher than that in the unoptimized medium. Also, fungal vitexin clearly demonstrated its antioxidant potential. These findings provide an alternative source for large‐scale production of vitexin by endophytic fungal fermentation and have a promising prospect in food and pharmaceutical industry.