Abstract
Endophytes are an endosymbiotic group of microorganisms that colonize in plants and microbes that can be readily isolated from any microbial or plant growth medium. They act as reservoirs of novel bioactive secondary metabolites, such as alkaloids, phenolic acids, quinones, steroids, saponins, tannins, and terpenoids that serve as a potential candidate for antimicrobial, anti-insect, anticancer and many more properties. While plant sources are being extensively explored for new chemical entities for therapeutic purposes, endophytic microbes also constitute an important source for drug discovery. This review aims to comprehend the contribution and uses of endophytes as an impending source of drugs against various forms of diseases and other possible medicinal use.
Highlights
Plants have served as a source of medicinal bioactive compounds against numerous forms of ailments for centuries
While plant sources are being extensively explored for the discovery of new chemical entities for various therapeutic purposes, endophytic microorganisms play an important role in this search for natural bioactive compounds, with potential use in the health sector and in drug discovery (Lam, 2007)
Endophytes are associated with plants in various forms, including bacteria or fungi that have been colonized inside the plant tissues
Summary
Plants have served as a source of medicinal bioactive compounds against numerous forms of ailments for centuries. Endophytes are an endosymbiotic group of microorganisms – often bacteria or fungi – that colonize the inter- and/or intracellular locations of plants (Pimentel et al, 2011; Singh and Dubey, 2015) For these organisms, all or part of their life cycle occurs within their hosts, without causing any apparent symptoms of disease. Endophytes are known to enhance host growth and nutrient gain They may improve the plant’s ability to tolerate various types of abiotic and biotic stresses, and enhance the resistance of plants to insects and pests. While plant sources are being extensively explored for the discovery of new chemical entities for various therapeutic purposes, endophytic microorganisms play an important role in this search for natural bioactive compounds, with potential use in the health sector and in drug discovery (Lam, 2007).
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