Cytotoxicity of bioactive compounds derived from cyanobacteria

Cyanobacteria are rich in bioactive compounds that exhibit diverse biological activities, including antiproliferative, cytotoxic, and antineoplastic properties. Many of these compounds are currently being studied in clinical trials. In this paper, newly discovered bioactive compounds from various cyanobacteria species that have demonstrated anticancer effects against multiple cancer cell lines, such as apratoxin, symplostatin 1, bartolosides, caylobolide, bisebromoamides, carmaphycins, and anaenamides, are reviewed. At present, there are no clear guidelines on approving cyanobacteria-derived bioactive compounds for use in treating diseases. While it is not uncommon that the intake of these compounds is accompanied by side effects, investigations on these compounds should focus on increasing the safety and efficacy of the compounds, or at least tread a fine line between drug safety and effectiveness for cancer patients. This review overviews the efficacy and cytotoxicity of cyanobacteria-derived bioactive compounds, providing researchers insights into how to maximize the benefits of these compounds through research.