Metal-Based Antibiotics and Therapeutics

Dear Colleagues,

The use of metals and their salts as antiseptics dates back to ancient times, with applications documented across various civilizations. Among these, silver nitrate was employed extensively for its antimicrobial properties and maintained clinical significance as a topical antiseptic and antibacterial agent until the Second World War. A prominent example of continued medical relevance is silver sulfadiazine, which is primarily used for the treatment of burn wounds. This compound is included in the World Health Organization’s List of Essential Medicines, reflecting its critical role in basic health care.

The efficacy of traditional antibiotics is increasingly compromised by antimicrobial resistance (AMR), a global phenomenon driven by the adaptive mechanisms of microorganisms. Bacteria and other pathogens acquire resistance through genetic mutations and horizontal gene transfer, leading to reduced drug susceptibility and treatment failure. AMR affects both community-acquired and hospital-acquired infections, placing considerable strain on healthcare systems. If current trends persist, it is projected that by 2050, deaths from infections due antibiotic-resistant diseases could surpass deaths from cancer, underscoring the urgent need for alternative therapeutic strategies.

In recent years, research efforts have focused on metal-based antibiotics, materials, nanoparticles, and related metallotherapeutics that act through mechanisms distinct from those of conventional agents. These compounds may interact with microbial membranes, proteins, or genetic material in ways that limit the development of resistance. Studies continue to investigate the biological activity, stability, and specificity of metal complexes, with the goal of expanding the current antimicrobial arsenal.

This Special Issue on "Metal-Based Antibiotics and Therapeutics" aims to provide an overview of this increasingly diversified topic, presenting current advancements and the most recent research with a focus on the function of compounds containing silver, gold, copper, zinc, and other metal ions as antibiotics. This Special Issue will provide readers with a more comprehensive understanding of antibacterial metal complexes.

Prof. Dr. Sotiris K Hadjikakou
Dr. Christina N. Banti
Guest Editors

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 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Antibiotics is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

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.