A STUDY OF ANTIMICROBIAL AND CYTOTOXIC POTENTIAL OF SECONDARY METABOLITES ISOLATED FROM AGRICULTURAL SOIL BACTERIA

Abstract

It is not a secret that Bacillus bacteria are used to produce secondary compounds, which are commonly used as cancer-fighting medications. These Bacillus species are present in various kinds of soil, such as the soil along Ring Road in Peshawar. The study aimed to investigate the soil Bacillus species at the Ring Road, determine the possible cytotoxic or antibacterial characteristics, and their secondary metabolic products. The Bacillus species were isolated, purified, and identified after standard procedures on three randomly sampled soil samples from two locations. The secondary compounds exhibited an obvious inhibition zone and had anti-bacterial activities against Staphylococcus aureus. They also developed a distinct inhibition zone and became antifungal to Candida albicans. The Brine Shrimp Lethality Test (BSLT) was also performed to determine whether the isolates were toxic to cells or not. Two strains of the soil bacillus (ASF01 and ASF02) were successfully isolated and purified using soil samples. The synthesis of secondary metabolites in bacteria is an easy, cost-effective, and eco-friendly system. The secondary metabolites were shown to have antibacterial effects against Staphylococcus aureus, which is a pathogenic bacterium. Secondary metabolites, on the other hand, demonstrated antifungal activity against Candida albicans, which is a pathogenic fungus, creating a clear zone of inhibition. The secondary metabolites also exhibited strong cytotoxicity and might be used to kill the undesired cells. (such as cancer cells)