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Future Pharmacology
Special Issues
Novel Therapeutic Agents and Innovative Treatment Strategies Against Infectious Diseases
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Novel Therapeutic Agents and Innovative Treatment Strategies Against Infectious Diseases

A special issue of Future Pharmacology (ISSN 2673-9879).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 March 2026 | Viewed by 909

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Sara Consalvi

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Life Sciences, Health and Health Professions, Link Campus University, Via del Casale di San Pio V, 44, 00165 Rome, Italy
Interests: drug delivery; medicinal chemistry; drug discovery and development; antimycobacterial agents; antiviral agents; tuberculosis
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue focuses on innovative therapeutics to combat infectious diseases, with particular attention to resistant and emerging pathogens. The rise of multi-drug-resistant (MDR) and extensively drug-resistant (XDR) strains has intensified the need for novel therapies across a broad spectrum of infectious diseases. We aim to spotlight advancements in the discovery of new therapeutic agents, including small molecules, biologics, and vaccines, alongside innovative drug delivery systems such as nanocarriers, lipid-based formulations, and targeted delivery strategies.

This Special Issue encompasses all microbial infections and places a particular emphasis on tuberculosis (TB), highlighting novel molecular targets and host-targeted therapies to circumvent microbial resistance and improve therapeutic outcomes. It also explores new pathways in infectious disease pathogenesis—such as amino acid biosynthesis, host–microbe interactions, and viral replication processes—as potential innovative targets for drug discovery.

We invite original research articles and reviews that advance the understanding and treatment of microbial infections by integrating insights from pharmacology and molecular biology. We also welcome contributions that investigate innovative therapeutic approaches, new drug targets, mechanisms of action, and delivery systems that address the pressing global health challenges posed by infectious diseases and antimicrobial drug resistance.

Dr. Sara Consalvi
Guest Editor

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. Future Pharmacology is an international peer-reviewed open access quarterly 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 1200 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

  • medicinal chemistry
  • tuberculosis
  • TB drug discovery and development
  • host-targeted therapies
  • antibacterials
  • antivirals
  • antimicrobials
  • drug resistance
  • drug delivery
  • drug candidate

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (2 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 1467 KB  
Article
In Vitro Antifungal Effect of Selected Essential Oils Against Clinical Isolates Causing Fungal Keratitis: A Preliminary Pharmacological Evaluation
by Elijah Akegbe, Nuno Mesquita, Célia Cabral, Emília Pereira, Luís Fernandes, Anália do Carmo, Rui Tomé, Dolores Pinheiro, João Pinheiro-Costa, Andreia M. Rosa and Elisa J. Campos
Future Pharmacol. 2025, 5(4), 73; https://doi.org/10.3390/futurepharmacol5040073 - 12 Dec 2025
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Abstract
Background/Objectives: Fungal keratitis (FK) is a current challenge in ophthalmology due to its association with severe visual impairment and the limitations of current antifungal therapies. We aim to evaluate the antifungal activity of essential oils (EOs) from the aromatic and medicinal plants Cymbopogon [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Fungal keratitis (FK) is a current challenge in ophthalmology due to its association with severe visual impairment and the limitations of current antifungal therapies. We aim to evaluate the antifungal activity of essential oils (EOs) from the aromatic and medicinal plants Cymbopogon citratus and Lavandula pedunculata against selected FK pathogens collected from FK patients in two Portuguese hospitals. Methods: The antifungal activity of the EOs was tested at concentrations of 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% for up to 7 days using the solid-phase disk diffusion in vitro assay. Results: Candida albicans was the most prevalent pathogen (28.6%), followed by Candida parapsilosis (21.4%) and Dicyma olivacea (14.2%). The other identified species were Aspergillus fumigatus and Scedosporium boydii (7.1%). Clinical diagnostic methodologies showed agreement with the molecular identification. Cymbopogon citratus EO showed higher antifungal activity than Lavandula pedunculata EO. The highest antifungal activity was observed against Aspergillus fumigatus and Scedosporium boydii (inhibition zone diameter, IZD = 90.0 mm) after 7 (Cymbopogon citratus EO) or 3 days of incubation (Lavandula pedunculata EO). While the antifungal activity of Cymbopogon citratus EO was maintained during the study (for Aspergillus fumigatus, Candida albicans, and Scedosporium boydii), the antifungal activity of Lavandula pedunculata EO decreased with time. Conclusions: Cymbopogon citratus EO and Lavandula pedunculata EO showed optimal antifungal activity against molds (Aspergillus fumigatus and Scedosporium boydii) after 3 days of incubation. Against yeasts (Candida albicans and Candida parapsilosis), the EOs showed lower activity. Our study sheds light on the development of new pharmacological strategies for FK based on EOs extracted from aromatic and medicinal plants. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Therapeutic Agents and Innovative Treatment Strategies Against Infectious Diseases)
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25 pages, 5469 KB  
Article
Antibacterial Mechanisms of 4-Chlorobenzyl p-Coumarate: Inhibition of MepA and NorA Efflux Pumps
by Éverton Paredes Falcão, Jeremias Justo Emídio, Natália Ferreira de Sousa, Karinne Kelly Gadelha Marques, Janaina Esmeraldo Rocha, Wellington Lima da Silva Sobrinho, João Felipe Bezerra, Luciana Scotti, Marcus Tullius Scotti, Juan Carlos Ramos Gonçalves, Henrique Douglas Melo Coutinho, Damião Pergentino de Sousa and Ricardo Dias de Castro
Future Pharmacol. 2025, 5(4), 71; https://doi.org/10.3390/futurepharmacol5040071 - 1 Dec 2025
Viewed by 224
Abstract
Introduction: Bacterial infections, especially those caused by multidrug-resistant strains, remain a major health concern. This study investigates 4-chlorobenzyl p-coumarate, assessing its antibacterial mechanism, pharmacokinetic profile, and potential to modulate antimicrobial resistance. Methods: In silico studies were conducted, including molecular docking, molecular dynamics [...] Read more.
Introduction: Bacterial infections, especially those caused by multidrug-resistant strains, remain a major health concern. This study investigates 4-chlorobenzyl p-coumarate, assessing its antibacterial mechanism, pharmacokinetic profile, and potential to modulate antimicrobial resistance. Methods: In silico studies were conducted, including molecular docking, molecular dynamics simulations, and pharmacokinetic predictions, alongside in vitro assays assessing efflux pump inhibition, antibiotic modulation, and bacterial DNA analysis. Results: The compound showed higher binding affinity and complex stability with the enzyme phosphatidylglycerol phosphate synthase, while also exhibiting reduced residue fluctuations and better flexibility with the NAD+-dependent DNA ligase. Molecular interactions with the efflux proteins MepA and NorA were also observed. Pharmacokinetic predictions indicated a favorable profile, including suitability for oral administration. Experimentally, the compound inhibited the MepA and NorA efflux pumps, modulated the activity of the antibiotics ciprofloxacin and norfloxacin, and reduced DNA concentration in treated cells. Conclusions: The findings suggest that the compound acts through dual mechanisms, with a prediction of activity by disrupting phosphatidylglycerol synthesis and DNA replication while inhibiting and modulating MepA and NorA efflux pumps. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Novel Therapeutic Agents and Innovative Treatment Strategies Against Infectious Diseases)
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