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Review
. 2022 Oct;84(3):676-687.
doi: 10.1007/s00248-021-01889-3. Epub 2021 Oct 25.

Cave Microbes as a Potential Source of Drugs Development in the Modern Era

Sahib Zada  1 , Wasim Sajjad  2 , Muhammad Rafiq  3 , Sardar Ali  1 , Zhong Hu  1 , Hui Wang  1 , Runlin Cai  4
Affiliations
Review

Cave Microbes as a Potential Source of Drugs Development in the Modern Era

Sahib Zada et al. Microb Ecol. 2022 Oct.

Erratum in

Abstract

The world is constantly facing threats, including the emergence of new pathogens and antibiotic resistance among extant pathogens, which is a matter of concern. Therefore, the need for natural and effective sources of drugs is inevitable. The ancient and pristine ecosystems of caves contain a unique microbial world and could provide a possible source of antimicrobial metabolites. The association between humans and caves is as old as human history itself. Historically, cave environments have been used to treat patients with respiratory tract infections, which is referred to as speleotherapy. Today, the pristine environment of caves that comprise a poorly explored microbial world is a potential source of antimicrobial and anticancer drugs. Oligotrophic conditions in caves enhance the competition among microbial communities, and unique antimicrobial agents may be used in this competition. This review suggests that the world needs a novel and effective source of drug discovery. Therefore, being the emerging spot of modern human civilization, caves could play a crucial role in the current medical crisis, and cave microorganisms may have the potential to produce novel antimicrobial and anticancer drugs.

Keywords: Antibiotic resistance; Antimicrobial drugs; Cave ecosystem; Speleotherapy.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Cave environments reported worldwide in different geographical locations
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Illustration of the different zones in the cave ecosystem
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Cavernicoles as a potential source of antimicrobial and biomedical agents
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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