Exploration of oncolytic drugs from endophytic fungi of Catharanthus roseus.

The management and treatment of cancer and related disorders is still a challenging goal for the scientists. The current global scenario of cancer mortality is demanding to discover and develop new, safe, cost effective and potent anticancer medications. The anticancer drugs vinblastine and vincristine are solely produced by medicinal herb Catharanthus roseus. These drugs are second most widely consumed anticancer drugs after Taxol in the world; however, the plant is well recognised to produce very modest levels of these important compounds (0.0002–0.0005 %). To address this issue, the review delves into the promising alternative of using endophytic fungi which reside within the healthy plant tissues and have ability to produce host-specific bioactive compounds including vinblastine and vincristine. An endophytic fungus Talaromyces radicus is reported to produce vincristine up to 670 µg/L while Curvularia verruculosa is able to secret vinblastine at a concentration of 182 µg/L in liquid cultures respectively. Some other fungal species reported to produce either vincristine or vinblastine includes Fusarium, Alternaria, Chaetomium, Nigrospora and Eutypella. The review begins by discussing the therapeutic importance of vinblastine and vincristine, highlighting their mechanisms of action and their critical roles in chemotherapy regimens for various types of cancer. Next, the review also provides an in-depth analysis of various endophytic fungi producing vinblastine and vincristine detailing their identification, characterization, biosynthetic ability and strain improvement processes. It aims to contribute to the ongoing efforts to develop more effective and sustainable strategies for producing these critical anticancer agents, ultimately enhancing cancer treatment options and outcomes. [Display omitted] • Vinblastine and vincristine are among the major anticancer compounds used worldwide for treatment of various cancers. • Natural production of these anticancer drugs is limited because of the very low yield in Catharanthus plant. • The endophytic fungi isolated from Catharanthus roseus are reported to produce vinblastine and vincristine in sufficient quantities. • The challenge in fungal production of these drugs is related with optimization and sustainable yield at commercial level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]