Marine endophytes from the Indian coasts: The untapped sources of sustainable anticancer drug discovery

Abstract

For centuries, the Indian outlook on medicines has had foundations in the exploration of her rich biodiversity. Today, natural product (NP) research delivers an ample chemical space for drug discovery for almost every pathological condition. However, endophytes have emerged as a pandora's box of therapeutic secondary metabolites to resolve ecological, sustainability, and cost concerns. Marine sources of endophytes have garnered attention in the pharmaceutical sector, exemplified by increased FDA-approved marine drugs. With chemotherapy being the most common treatment for cancer patients, the need for novel drugs is steeping high. Endophytes from marine sources present a diverse natural productome for anticancer leads, especially for resistant cancers. For the first time, this review highlights the sustainable biotechnological potential of marine endophytes from the 3000 km long Indian coastline, a biogeographic zone. We also discuss the new cell death mechanisms and targets for marine anticancer drugs, emphasizing endophytes isolated from the Indian coasts. The advances in the NP yield enhancement strategies and possible chemical modifications on the product to reduce the complexity and increase the specificity for higher therapeutic value, followed by the challenges and prospects, are also reviewed.