A study on biotransformation of vinblastine and ajmalicine using microbes isolated from soil.

Abstract

A number of Secondary metabolites discovered from plants have antimicrobial, antiviral, antidiabetic, antiinflammatory, antitumor/anticancer, anti-HIV, cytotoxic, tranquilizer, anti-repellent and many more other useful properties, therefore their demand in medicine and pharmaceuticals is increasing tremendously.
The microbial biotransformations known for a long time can be used as important processes to transform pharmaceutically less significant secondary metabolites into pharmaceutically more significant secondary metabolites.
Microbial biotransformation strategies will be used to transform pharmaceutically less active alkaloids vinblastine, ajmalicine and hyoscyamine into their pharmaceutically more valuable compounds vincristine, serpentine and scopolamine, using microbes and/or microbial enzymes.
Alkaloids are group of complex nitrogen containing compounds derived from a variety of sources, including microbes, marine organisms and plants.
Alkaloids are used as anticancer agents, antimalarials, and in the treatment of Parkinsonism, hypertension and central nervous system disorders.
This has encouraged us to explore possibilities of biotransformation of pharmaceutically very important pairs of alkaloids such as, vinblastine to vincristine, serpentine to ajmalicine existing mainly in Catharanthus roseus, hyoscyamine to scopolamine in Atropa belladonna.