Lichenochemicals: extraction, purification, characterization, and application as potential anticancer agents

Area of Science:

• Natural Product Chemistry
• Pharmacology
• Drug Discovery

Background:

• Over 1,000 lichen secondary metabolites identified, with promising cytotoxic properties.
• Limited literature on anticancer evaluation of lichen-derived compounds (lichenochemicals).
• Increasing cancer prevalence fuels interest in lichens for anti-cancer drug development.

Purpose of the Study:

• Review challenges in lichen anticancer research.
• Discuss limitations and advantages of methods for lichen exploration and screening.
• Highlight potential of lichen secondary metabolites for anti-cancer drug discovery.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of existing literature.
• Analysis of challenges in compound isolation, characterization, and mechanism of action studies.
• Evaluation of commonly used and novel screening methods for lichen metabolites.

Main Results:

• Lichen secondary metabolites demonstrate chemotherapeutic potential.
• Challenges include low cytotoxic compound levels, technical isolation difficulties, and poor understanding of mechanisms.
• New methods are being developed for lichen exploration and screening.

Conclusions:

• A multidisciplinary approach is crucial for advancing lichen research.
• Further investigation is needed to understand the cytotoxic mechanisms of lichenochemicals.
• Focus on screening and discovering novel lichen-derived compounds with unique anticancer properties is essential.