Endophytes as an Alternative Source for Anticancer Agents

The world faces new challenges every decade in the form of calamities, pandemics, and deadly diseases. The increase in the population and limited resources has led the human race towards many ailments that are incurable, but the potency of the human brain and in collusion with natural resources can reveal the remedy to many diseases. Cancer is one of the major reasons for mortality at present, which is a global challenge. The search for new anticancer drugs is a necessity of the present day. Researchers are urged to explore alternative and new potent sources of anticancer drugs. Natural sources include plant products or some plant-derived bioactive compounds. Endophytes manifest as an acceptable source of bioactive compounds of medicinal value. Endophytes are microorganisms present asymptomatically inside the plant parts. These are known to produce several metabolites with antifungal, antiviral, antioxidant, and anticancerous activity. Some major metabolites include taxol, alkaloids, camptothecin, chromones, etc. These produced metabolites can also be manipulated for the production of novel chemotherapeutic agents. The incessant need for these anticancer drugs has escalated the search for novel natural compounds. The present chapter attempts to summarize different endophytic metabolites that serve as an alternative source for an ailment of the deadly cancer disease.

Keywords: Anticancer Agents, Camptothecin, Chromones, Endophytes, Taxol.