ABSTRACT
Endophytic microorganisms, residing within the tissues of plants without causing apparent symptoms, have gained significant attention due to their potential as novel sources of antiviral agents. This chapter explores the diverse world of endophytes and their interactions with plants, emphasizing their role in enhancing host resilience and improving plant performance. This chapter highlights several studies identifying endophytic fungi from various medicinal plants, demonstrating their ability to produce bioactive compounds with pharmaceutical potential. These bioactive metabolites exhibit a range of activities, such as anticancer, antifungal, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. Moreover, the review discusses the urgent need for alternative antiviral therapies, given the limitations and challenges associated with conventional drugs. Endophytic fungi offer a promising avenue for discovering natural antiviral agents, presenting new structural classes and unique bioactivities. However, the exploitation of endophytic fungi faces current challenges, including a comprehensive understanding of the intricate interactions between them and their host plants and limited exploration of their potential as biocontrol agents.
