Research Progress on Active Indole Alkaloids in Microorganisms

Indole alkaloids are a class of secondary metabolites with a wide range of biological activities. The chemical structure of indole alkaloids is relatively complex, but all of them have a remarkable structural feature, which is a five-membered pyrrole cyclocyclobenzene ring. Because of the unique structural characteristics of indole alkaloids, they have also a wide range of pharmacological activities, such as antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, anti-viral, anti-hepatitis, anti-diabetes, neuroprotective, lipid-lowering and so on. For example, indole alkaloids have been shown to show anticancer activity through various anti-proliferation mechanisms and play an important role in the research of novel cancer treatment advances. In this article, we reviewed the recent progress of indole alkaloids isolated from microorganisms and their chemical and biosynthesis, which laid a foundation for further utilization and development of indole alkaloids.