Fungal metabolites with anticancer activity

Area of Science:

• Natural Product Chemistry
• Medicinal Chemistry
• Pharmacology

Background:

• Plant and bacterial natural products are established sources of cancer drugs.
• Fungal natural products, despite extensive research, have yet to yield a clinical cancer drug.
• Numerous fungal metabolites exhibit promising in vitro anticancer activity and in vivo therapeutic benefits.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review fungal natural products with anticancer potential.
• To discuss their sources, structures, and biochemical properties.
• To highlight their relevance in cancer drug discovery.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of studies published between 1964 and 2013.
• Analysis of reported sources and chemical structures of fungal metabolites.
• Examination of biochemical studies on anticancer mechanisms.

Main Results:

• Identification of a wide array of fungal natural products with potent in vitro anticancer activity.
• Demonstration of therapeutic benefits in preclinical mouse models for select compounds.
• Anticipation of several fungal-derived compounds entering human clinical trials.

Conclusions:

• Fungal natural products represent a rich, yet largely untapped, resource for cancer drug discovery.
• Continued investigation into their anticancer potential is warranted.
• These compounds hold promise for future cancer therapeutics.