Coprophilous Fungi: A Source of Novel Metabolites for Sustainable Agriculture and Medicine

Coprophilous fungi are a varied group of fungi mainly associated with herbivore dung. These fungi are different from other fungi and have peculiar life history because they are exposed to the condition of herbivore digestive system and recycle nutrients and are very important in ecological niches. Coprophilous fungi play an important role in degrading organic matter and synthesis of bioactive secondary metabolites such as antibiotics, enzymes and other bioactive molecules with antimicrobial, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. This review discuss the variations, habitats and the major uses of the coprophilous fungi in various ecosystems. In addition, we have seen that coprophilous fungi could be useful in agriculture, especially in the biological control arena, biotechnology where enzymes can be produced from them and medicine where new therapeutic products can be derived from coprophilous fungi. Although they play a significant role in the ecology and biotechnology, coprophilous fungi are a relatively underutilized source. Finally, this review express the importance of additional investigations to enhance their effectiveness in numerous areas of functioning.