Isolated endophytes from selected genera of family Apiaceae: an updated review

The Apiaceae family comprises highly diverse medicinal plants that harbor rich communities of endophytic fungi essential to plant health and metabolism. These endophytes engage in interactions ranging from parasitic to mutualistic, often forming long-term co-evolved associations that influence the biosynthesis, quality, and accumulation of plant secondary metabolites. A comprehensive literature survey was conducted using databases including PubMed, Google Scholar, ResearchGate, and the Google search engines. The literature considered in this review covers the period from 2012 to 2025; however, several earlier key references were included to provide essential background information. The objective of this review article is to highlight the multifaceted roles of fungal endophytes in selected genera of the Apiaceae family. Across genera such as Ammi, Ferula, Ligusticum, Apium, and Foeniculum, numerous fungal endophytes including Penicillium, Fusarium, Sordariomycetes, and Scopulariopsis have been isolated. These microorganisms produce a diverse array of bioactive compounds and can enhance host tolerance to both biotic and abiotic stresses. The identified metabolites belong to a wide range of phytochemical classes, including polyketides, terpenoids, alkaloids, quinoline, and quinazoline derivatives, cyclodepsipeptides, phenolic compounds, and lactone-based structures. Reported metabolites exhibit significant antimicrobial, antioxidant, and cytotoxic activities, highlighting the biotechnological potential of Apiaceae-associated endophytes. This review provides a focused analysis of bioactive metabolites derived from endophytic fungi of Apiaceae plants, offering a plant-family-specific perspective that is lacking in previous general reviews, while also highlighting recent advances and future research directions. It also emphasizes the potential of fungal endophytes as sustainable alternative sources of chemical compounds with important therapeutic and agricultural value. Consequently, future research should concentrate on exploiting these fungal symbionts as attractive resources for drug discovery.