Bioactive Natural Products in Antimicrobial Resistance Management

A special issue of Antibiotics (ISSN 2079-6382). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant-Derived Antibiotics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 May 2025 | Viewed by 904

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Institute of Food Technology, University of Novi Sad, Bulevar cara Lazara 1, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Interests: safety and quality of plant- and animal-based food; natural antimicrobials; antimicrobial food packaging; foodborne pathogens
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

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Guest Editor Assistant
Institute of Food Technology, University of Novi Sad, Bulevar cara Lazara 1, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Interests: food microbiology and safety; natural antimicrobial agents; foodborne pathogens; probiotics in functional foods

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Guest Editor Assistant
Department of Bio-Technology, Faculty of Technology, University of Novi Sad, Bulevar Cara Lazara 1, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia
Interests: antimicrobial agents; microbial biofilms in clinical and industrial settings; food safety; infectious diseases
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) represents a significant threat to global health, highlighting the need for innovative approaches to address and mitigate its impact. With traditional antimicrobials becoming increasingly ineffective, there is an urgent need to identify and develop novel antimicrobial products that can control antimicrobial-resistant pathogens. Bioactive natural products hold great potential as effective agents against resistant pathogens. These natural compounds often possess unique therapeutic properties, making them valuable candidates for developing new antimicrobial strategies. This Special Issue aims to explore the role of bioactive natural products in AMR management, focusing on their discovery, characterization, and application in combating resistant microorganisms, thus contributing to the ongoing efforts to manage AMR and promote effective solutions. We invite high-quality manuscripts that investigate efficacy, mechanism of action, and potential applications of these compounds in the fight against AMR.

Dr. Ljubiša Šarić
Guest Editor

Dr. Zorica Tomičić
Dr. Ružica Tomičić
Guest Editor Assistants

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2900 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • antimicrobials
  • antimicrobial resistance
  • bioactive natural products
  • novel antimicrobial agents
  • phytochemicals

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Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

18 pages, 5862 KiB  
Article
Biological Activities of Leonotis ocymifolia (Burm.f.) and Its Antibacterial Activities Against ESKAPE Pathogens
by Tshepo Divine Matlou, Mashilo Mash Matotoka, Talita Jessica Mnisi and Peter Masoko
Antibiotics 2025, 14(3), 238; https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics14030238 - 26 Feb 2025
Viewed by 519
Abstract
Background/Objectives: The rise in antibiotic-resistant ESKAPE pathogens, which are responsible for severe and hard-to-treat infections, highlights the urgent need for alternative therapeutic agents. While species in the Leonotis genus have demonstrated antimicrobial potential, limited research exists on Leonotis ocymifolia. This study evaluated [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: The rise in antibiotic-resistant ESKAPE pathogens, which are responsible for severe and hard-to-treat infections, highlights the urgent need for alternative therapeutic agents. While species in the Leonotis genus have demonstrated antimicrobial potential, limited research exists on Leonotis ocymifolia. This study evaluated the phytochemical profiles and antioxidant, antibacterial, and antibiofilm activities of L. ocymifolia leaf and stem extracts. Methods: Acidified acetone and hexane were used for extraction, followed by liquid–liquid fractionation with dichloromethane (DCM), ethyl acetate, and butanol. Phytochemicals were profiled using thin-layer chromatography (TLC), while polyphenolic content and antioxidant activity were determined using colorimetric and DPPH assays, respectively. Antibacterial activity was assessed via bioautography and micro-broth dilution assays. Antibiofilm activities were evaluated using crystal violet staining, and metabolic activity was assessed using tetrazolium salt as a cell viability indicator. Results: Ethyl acetate fractions had the highest phenolic (98.15 ± 9.63 mg GAE/g) and tannin contents (108.28 ± 8.78 mg GAE/g), with strong DPPH scavenging activity (79–90% at 250 µg/mL). DCM extracts had potent antibacterial activity, with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 0.31–0.625 mg/mL against Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Antibiofilm assays revealed over 50% inhibition across biofilm formation phases, with DCM leaf extracts disrupting biofilms by inhibiting microbial metabolism. Conclusions: This study highlights L. ocymifolia as a promising source of bioactive compounds with significant antioxidant and antibacterial properties. The DCM and ethyl acetate extracts demonstrated high polyphenol content and effective biofilm inhibition. Further studies are warranted to isolate bioactive compounds and elucidate their mechanisms of action. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioactive Natural Products in Antimicrobial Resistance Management)
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