production using endophytic fungusTaxomyces andreanae. Another important
drug for cancer is the alkaloid“Camptothecin”—a potent anticancer compound
found in the plantCamptotheca acuminataDecaisne (Nyssaceae) (Wall et al.
1966 ). Camptothecin and 10-hydroxycamptothecin are widely used as precursors in
the synthesis of topotecan, and irinotecan, which are clinically used as potent
anticancer drugs (Uma et al. 2008 ). An endophytic fungusFusarium solaniisolated
from the same plant produced Camptothecin and 10-hydroxycamptothecin when
cultivated in submerged cultures (Kusari et al. 2009 ). Subsequently, several
workers reported endophytic fungi which could produce Camptothecin and other
similar compounds (Puri 2005 ; Rehman et al. 2008 ).
Guo et al. ( 1998 ) reported thatAlternaria sp. isolated from the phloem of
Catharanthus roseushad the ability to produce well-known alkaloid, vinblastine
(Fig.10.4). Later, another endophytic fungus Fusarium oxysporum from the
phloem ofC. roseus isshown to produce vincristine (Zhang et al. 2000 ). In another
Table 10.4 Anticancer compounds from endophytes and respective host plant
Host plant Endophytic fungi Bioactive compound References
Taxus brevifolia Taxomyces andreanae Diterpenoid Strobel
( 1997 )
Torreya taxifolia Pestalotiopsis
microspora
Torreyanic acid Lee ( 1996 )
Catharanthus
roseus
Mycelia sterilia Vincristine Yang ( 1994 )
Plumeria acutifolia Colletotrichum
gloeosporioides
Taxol Nithya ( 2009 )
Spondias mombin Phomopsissp. Phomopsidin &
Phomopsichalasin
Kobayashi
( 1995 )
Rhizophora
annamalayana
Fusarium oxysporum Taxol Elavarasi
( 2012 )
Tinospora
cordifolia
Fusarium culmorum
SVJM072
Taxol Sonaimuthu
( 2010 )
Annova squamosa Penicilliumsp. Meleargine and
Chrysogine
Yunianto
( 2014 )
Tripterygium
wilfordii
Rhinocladiellasp. 22-oxa-(12)-
cytochalasins
Wagenaar
( 2000 )
Nothapodytes
foetida
Entrophospora
infrequens
Camptothecin Puri ( 2005 )
Podophyllum
hexandrum
Trametes hirsute Podophyllotoxin Puri ( 2006 )
Sequoia
semperivirens
Aspergillus parasiticus Sequoiatones C-F Stierle ( 2001 )
Nothapodytes
foetida
Phycomycetes Campthothecin Puri ( 2005 )
Adenophora
axilliflora
Chetomiumsp.IFB-
EO15
Chaetominine Rui ( 2006 )
10 Endophytes: Potential Source of Therapeutically... 227