Natural products from marine cyanobacteria for drug discovery (Chapter 15)

Abstract

Marine cyanobacteria are well known for producing a broad diversity of biomolecules, which have emerged as a novel resource of new chemical entities with therapeutic potential. Several of these compounds show excellent pharmacological activities and have been exploited for the drug discovery process, primarily for noxious diseases such as cancer, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, and arthritis. Bioactive compounds from cyanobacteria are well recognized for various medicinal properties such as antiviral, UV protectants, anticancer, and neurotoxins. Consequently, cyanobacteria have received increasing attention as the source of novel therapeutics. In this chapter, the chemical diversity of cyanobacteria is discussed along with its pharmaceutical properties and updated therapeutic applications of cyanobacteria in drug discovery research covering the literature from 2012 to 2023.