Anti-infective Potential of Manzamine Alkaloids - A Review

Abstract

Background: From time immemorial, natural products have been used for the treatment of various diseases. Various natural products, their semisynthetic derivatives, and synthetic analogs have been explored for their anti-infective properties. One such group of natural compounds that has been widely explored is manzamine alkaloids. Manzamine alkaloids are complex natural compounds consisting of a β-carboline nucleus attached to a pentacyclic ring system; they were first isolated from a marine sponge during the 1980s.

Objective: This review aims to provide a critical overview on the anti-infective potential of manzamine alkaloids.

Methods: A comprehensive and exhaustive review of the literature on manzamine alkaloids, and their isolation, anti-infective properties, and mechanism of action, is presented.

Results: Various manzamine alkaloids have been isolated and have been found to exhibit potent antiinfective activities like antibacterial, antimalarial, antiviral, antifungal, antileishmanial, among others. These manzamine alkaloids exhibit their anti-infective activity by inhibiting targets like GSK-3β, MtSK.

Conclusion: This present review along with structure-activity relationship study of manzamine alkaloids for their anti-infective activity will be useful for further development of semisynthetic manzamine analogs as potent anti-infective agents with better therapeutic potential and reduced toxicity.

Keywords: Manzamine; bacteria; carboline; fungi; human immunodeficiency virus; leishmaniasis; malaria; tuberculosis.