Latex, a milky fluid found in several plants, is widely used for many purposes, and its proteins have been investigated by researchers. Many studies have shown that latex produced by some plant species is a natural source of biologically active compounds, and many of the hydrolytic enzymes are related to health benefits. Research on the characterization and industrial and pharmaceutical utility of latex has progressed in recent years. Latex proteins are associated with plants’ defense mechanisms, against attacks by fungi. In this respect, there are several biotechnological applications of antifungal proteins. Some findings reveal that antifungal proteins inhibit fungi by interrupting the synthesis of fungal cell walls or rupturing the membrane. Moreover, both phytopathogenic and clinical fungal strains are susceptible to latex proteins. The present review describes some important features of proteins isolated from plant latex which presented in vitro antifungal activities: protein classification, function, molecular weight, isoelectric point, as well as the fungal species that are inhibited by them. We also discuss their mechanisms of action.

乳胶是一种在几种植物中发现的乳状液体，已广泛用于许多目的，其蛋白质已被研究人员研究。许多研究表明，某些植物物种生产的胶乳是生物活性化合物的天然来源，许多水解酶都与健康有关。近年来，关于乳胶的表征以及工业和药学用途的研究已经发展。乳胶蛋白与植物抵抗真菌侵害的防御机制有关。在这方面，抗真菌蛋白有几种生物技术应用。一些发现表明抗真菌蛋白通过中断真菌细胞壁的合成或破坏膜来抑制真菌。而且，植物致病菌株和临床真菌菌株均对乳胶蛋白敏感。本综述描述了从植物乳胶中分离出来的蛋白质的一些重要特征，这些蛋白质具有体外抗真菌活性：蛋白质的分类，功能，分子量，等电点以及被其抑制的真菌种类。我们还将讨论它们的作用机理。