Antimicrobial Activity of Plant Extracts and Their Derivatives

Dear Colleagues,

Increasing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) among common pathogens has raised major concern among physicians and medical professionals. With the increase in AMR and emergence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) organisms, such as Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus faecalis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, treatment options have been reduced. These pathogens of oral cavities, skin, intestinal tracts, etc. are of great public health concern. Unavailability of new drugs, misuse of antibiotics and emergence of drug-resistant organisms are a leading cause of death worldwide. People are now moving towards herbal medicines and traditional remedies to overcome AMR against the available antibiotics. According to the WHO, about 80% of the world’s population still uses traditional remedies, including the use of herbs, for infections and illnesses. Plant secondary metabolites are mostly responsible for their antimicrobial activity. Major groups of phytochemicals that possess antimicrobial properties are phenolics and polyphenols (coumarins, quinones, flavonoids, and tannins), alkaloids, terpenoids, polypeptides, and lectins.

The main objectives of this Special Issue are to provide an overview of the currently available medicinal plants, and to evaluate and highlight the importance of commonly available medicinal plants as treatment options, with special concern regarding the antimicrobial activities of these medicinal plants.

The scope of the Special Issue may include, but is not be limited to, the following topics:

1. Antimicrobial efficacy of medicinal plants;
2. Plant extracts and derivatives;
3. Anticancer, and antioxidant potentials of plant extracts;
4. Antimicrobial activity and mechanism of action of plant extracts;
5. Bioinformatics-based therapeutic tools to overcome antimicrobial resistance using plant derivatives.

Dr. Basit Zeshan
Prof. Dr. Chan Yean Yean
Dr. Naveed Ahmed
Guest Editors

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