The Discovery and Biological Activities of Potential New Natural Products for Antifungal and Antiviral Activity

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue is related to the antifungal and antiviral activities of natural products, herbal extracts, and generally extracts of natural origin. Secondary metabolites are largely found in plants, marine organisms, bacteria, fungi, and insects. Past practices of compound drugs containing different natural ingredients predominantly of plant origin were highly esteemed over the centuries, but only recently have they been scientifically confirmed. The investigation of biological and chemical properties of natural products has not only revealed new bioactive entities for the treatment of several diseases but also enabled the development of synthetic organic chemistry. Natural products are the most successful source of leads for potential drug discovery and play a highly significant role in medicinal chemistry.

Owing to the continuing development of microbial resistance in medicine and agriculture, discovery of new antimicrobial and antiviral substances is an important, if not urgent, research objective. In addition, the desire for safer agrochemicals with less environmental and mammalian toxicity is a major concern. Particularly desirable is the discovery of novel prototype antimicrobial agents representing new chemical classes that operate by different modes of action than existing antifungal agents and, consequently, lack cross-resistance to chemicals currently used. Following natural product leads offers an efficient approach to discovering and optimising new agrochemicals for disease control.

We are particularly interested in manuscripts dealing with the most recent research on natural sources with antifungal or antiviral activity, including: Extract preparations, bioactive secondary metabolites, isolation and structure elucidation, metabolomic analyses, bioassays, mechanisms of action, SAR studies, and clinical studies.

Prof. Eleni Skaltsa
Guest Editor

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