Therapeutic potential of endophytic bacteria from ethnomedicinal plants used by the traditional healers of North East India

Abstract

North East Indian Himalayan Region (NEIHR) is endowed with a diverse ecosystem. The indigenous people of this region have good traditional knowledge to combat various diseases and physical ailments using ethnomedicinal plants that were gained through experience over years. Some of the plants have been incorporated in the conventional medicines. However, many of the plants have not been scientifically explored since they remain endemic to a particular region and the traditional healers kept it as secret knowledge. The majority of the endophyte of NEIHR belongs to genus Acinetobacter, Bacillus, Microbacterium, Pseudomonas, Serratia, and Streptomyces. Endophytic bacteria exhibit antimicrobial activities against important human pathogens such as Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella enterica, Streptococcus pyogenes, Staphylococcus aureus, etc. Bioactive strains display potential anticancer and antioxidant activities. This review also incorporates some of the potential unexplored medicinal plants used by the ethnic population of this region for treating common diseases and the importance of exploring bioactive compounds from the associated bacteria. It will also highlight the prospects of discovering novel bioactive compounds that will have a new and novel mechanism of actions for combating the drug resistant pathogens.