An overview of the biosynthesis, production, and quantitative analysis of commercially valuable alkaloids: vinblastine, vincristine, ajmalicine, and serpentine

Monoterpene indole alkaloids are recognized as the most important natural products isolated from plants, with plethora of distinct structures identified to date. Among these, vinblastine, vincristine, ajmalicine, and serpentine are the most popular alkaloids known for their exceptional pharmacological properties. These compounds are employed in the treatment of various cancers, cardiovascular disorders, and diabetes. Over the years, significant advancement has been made in the biosynthesis, methods of production and quantitative analysis of these alkaloids. Among the various production methods, microbial biotransformation has emerged as a particularly promising approach for producing novel products for human use in recent years, offering substantial potential to produce these alkaloids. Our recent research has reported the development of microbial biotransformation systems to produce vincristine from vinblastine and serpentine from ajmalicine. Given their vast pharmaceutical applications, this review aimed to provide an overview of their biosynthesis, various production methods, and recent developments in the quantitative analysis of these compounds. To compile information on these aspects, a comprehensive literature review was performed utilizing several platforms, including ScienceDirect, Scopus, PubMed, DOAJ, and Elsevier. This review encompasses advancements and prospects concerning four alkaloids, which are opening new vistas for their production and applications in the medicinal and pharmaceutical sectors.