EXPLOITING ENDOPHYTIC FUNGI FROM MEDICINAL PLANTS FOR NEW ANTIMICROBIAL AGENTS AGAINST RESISTANT PATHOGENS

Abstract

Amidst the escalating global health challenge of antibiotic resistance, this review underscores the critical need for novel antimicrobials. It showcases endophytic fungi as a largely untapped reservoir of bioactive secondary metabolites, capable of yielding novel antibiotics to combat multidrug-resistant bacteria. These fungi, through symbiosis with host plants, produce an array of bioactive compounds, including alkaloids, terpenoids, polyketides, peptides, and phenolic compounds, exhibiting potent antimicrobial properties. This synthesis of evidence highlights the synergistic interplay between endophytic fungi and medicinal plants, advocating for intensified research into their unique chemical structures and bioactivities. Such efforts promise sustainable strategies to address antibiotic resistance.