Isolation and antioxidant evaluation of trehalose from Phylloporia tamilnadensis: a structural and functional study

Fungal secondary metabolites exhibit diverse bioactivities with significant therapeutic relevance. In this study, we report the first-ever isolation and antioxidant evaluation of trehalose, a disaccharide purified from Phylloporia tamilnadensis. The compound was isolated through silica gel column chromatography and subsequently crystallised via slow methanol evaporation. Structural elucidation was performed using UV-Vis, FTIR, NMR, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction (SCXRD) analyses. SCXRD confirmed the compound as α-D-glucopyranosyl-α-D-glucopyranoside (trehalose), crystallising in the orthorhombic P2₁2₁2₁ space group. Antioxidant assays demonstrated strong free radical scavenging activity (IC₅₀: 18.68 mg/mL for DPPH; 13.68 mg/mL for ABTS), surpassing that of the crude extract. Although less potent than ascorbic acid (IC₅₀: 9.82 and 7.56 mg/mL), trehalose exhibited consistent, dose-dependent efficacy. These findings highlight the antioxidant potential of trehalose and its prospective application in managing oxidative stress-related disorders.