Antioxidant Secondary Metabolites From Marine-Derived Fungi: Chemical Diversity and Bioactivity Profiling

Oxidation is an integral part of the aerobic processes in life and serves as a critical basis for life activities. Reactive oxygen species (ROS), natural by-products of oxygen metabolism, are present at low levels in the organism and play a crucial role in maintaining cell cycle and gene expression in the body. An imbalance in the oxidative-antioxidative system is associated with numerous human diseases. Consequently, exploring natural antioxidants and investigating their impact on human health has become a pivotal research focus. Marine-derived fungi represent a significant resource for discovering natural products due to their structural diversity and broad range of biological activities. This review highlights the potential of marine-derived fungi as sources of antioxidant compounds. A total of 41 studies, describing 168 secondary metabolites with antioxidant properties isolated from 38 marine-derived fungal strains across 19 genera, were reviewed. The sources, unique structures, and bioactivities of these antioxidant compounds were systematically compiled. This review provides a valuable reference for the current research landscape of natural products from marine-derived fungi and reveals that marine natural products have important medicinal values and are worthy of in-depth investigation.