New options in drug discovery: Endophyte technology

Abstract

Antimicrobial discovery has traditionally focused on sources from plants, animals and microorganisms. However, with the reoccurring incidences of multidrug-resistant organisms (MDROs) towards the in-use antibiotics and the problem of over- exploration of plants that is heavily altering the ecosystem, the need for other sustainable means of acquiring novel drugs becomes imperative. In a bid to ameliorate these issues, researchegrs have resorted to the use of some endosymbiotic microorganisms, known as endophytes. These are microorganisms inhabiting the internal part of plants, which have been verified to possess great potentials to bioengineer novel products, for therapeutic purposes. The discovery of endophytic microorganisms has come with so many promises of alleviating the challenges of an increasingly daunting multidrug- resistant strain of pathogenic microbes, which have become a global issue in health care delivery. They can be harnessed and utilized in the generation of active ingredients for drug production, instead of the incessant cutting down or harvesting of plants or plant parts, which destroys nature, resulting in global warming and world climate problems. This systematic review is on endophytic technology as a new alternative in drug discovery.