Multifunctional biological roles of Fusaric acid and its derivatives in the Diverse Kingdoms of Life: Insights from More Than Nine Decades of Research.

Abstract

Fusaric acid (5-butylpicolinic) is a mycotoxin produced by Fusarium species as a biological response to external environmental factors. It exhibits hepatotoxicity in humans upon consumption of contaminated agricultural products. The compound was first reported nearly 92 years ago by Yabuta et al. Interestingly, Fusarium spp. can produce this compound in very large amounts, up to 1080 μg per gram of total biomass. However, the primary biological function of fusaric acid is still not fully understood. Numerous studies have attempted to clarify the biological functions of fusaric acid across various species, including virus, fungi, bacteria, mammals, and humans. Several preclinical studies and clinical trials have evaluated its therapeutic potential for human diseases. However, despite these efforts, fusaric acid has not progressed into an approved therapeutic agent, highlighting both its biological complexity and the challenges associated with its clinical development. To date, none of the works have comprehensively enumerated the multifunctional biological roles of fusaric acid and its derivatives. In this review, marking the 90th + anniversary of its discovery, we discuss the most notable roles of fusaric acid across diverse kingdoms of life.