Applications of Biosurfactants in Various Cancer Therapies

Abstract

Biosurfactants are the naturally-occurring surface-active biomolecules produced by microorganisms having a wide range of applications. Because of their unique characteristics like low toxicity, specificity, biodegradability and relative ease of preparation, these surface active molecules have attracted a wide interest recently. The effective and side-effect-free treatment of cancer remains a top priority for researchers despite various advancements in cancer therapy. To go beyond the drawbacks of chemotherapy, it is necessary to investigate anticancer medications derived from natural sources. Since a wide variety of these compounds have revealed the capacity to elicit cytotoxicity against numerous cancer cell lines, hence modulating cancer growth pathways, biosurfactants have recently come to light as prospective agents for cancer therapy. In this context, microbial biosurfactants offer a potential replacement for existing cancer treatments as well as anti-cancer drug delivery methods. The synthesis, structure, and studies of several cancer cell lines, including breast cancer, cervical cancer, lung cancer, pancreatic cancer, and prostate cancer, are all covered in this chapter, which summarizes the state of the art on microbial surfactants with anti-cancer potential.