Exploring Terrestrial and Marine Fungi for New Anticancer Agents from Saudi Arabia’s Ecosystem

Background

Cancer is a major global health concern, with 24,485 new cases and 10,518 deaths in Saudi Arabia in 2020. Fungi produce bioactive compounds with anticancer and antimicrobial potential. This study investigates fungal metabolites from Saudi soil to identify novel therapeutic agents, addressing gaps found in our previous systematic review.

Methods

Seventeen fungal strains were isolated from soil samples collected at five locations in Riyadh and Hail. Samples were plated on Potato Dextrose Agar, incubated to obtain pure cultures, and extracted using a yeast malt extract medium. The cytotoxic effects of the extracts were assessed via an MTT assay against MDA-MB-231 (breast cancer) and HCT-116 (colorectal cancer) cell lines. Additionally, antimicrobial activity was evaluated against Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Candida spp., and Escherichia coli at concentrations ranging from 0.3 mg/mL to 5 mg/mL.

Results

The fungal extracts exhibited notable cytotoxicity against MDA-MB-231 cells, with IC50 values ranging from 28.55 to 83.35 μg/mL. Additionally, six extracts tested against HCT-116 cells demonstrated potent activity, with IC50 values between 22.25 and 71.63 μg/mL. In antimicrobial testing, initial results showed no significant activity against MRSA, Candida spp., or E. coli, which may be due to the low concentrations used. Further testing at higher concentrations is planned to explore potential antimicrobial effects.

Conclusion

This study highlights Saudi soil fungi as a promising source of anticancer agents. Although antimicrobial activity was insignificant at low concentrations, further testing is needed. Exploring regional biodiversity may lead to new drug discoveries, and future research will focus on identifying active compounds and their mechanisms of action.