Fungal glycosides: Structure and biological function

Abstract Background Natural products acquire vast and intriguing structural diversity and have been recognized as a tremendously diverse source of new lead compounds. Numerous bioactive secondary metabolites are present in the form of glycosylated molecules in which the sugar parts are normally associated with the interaction along with molecular recognition of the cellular target. Scope and approach The presence of sugar entities are crucial as well as in some cases necessary, for therapeutic effects. Establishing novel and potent glycosylated secondary metabolites has formed a main goal in the natural product field from fungi and bacteria. These compounds possess a diverse range of sugar units. Key findings and conclusions Fungi is considered one of the important sources for approved drugs with a diverse range of mode of action. The sugar part in numerous pharmacologically active natural products enhances bioavailability, biological potential, reduce toxicity, and improve stability. The vast majority of glyocosides showed antimicrobial effects, cytotoxic, antiviral and antiinflammatory effects. Notably, numerous fungal glycosides presented in this review illustrate significant antimicrobial effects towards various microorganisms especially against plant pathogens. The antimicrobial effects of these fungal glycosides indicate that these metabolites could be employed as natural preservatives in food in order to abolish or control the growth of pathogenic and spoilage microorganisms.