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Antibiotics
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Life Defense in the New Century: Natural Products in the...
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Life Defense in the New Century: Natural Products in the Development of New Antimicrobial Drugs

A special issue of Antibiotics (ISSN 2079-6382). This special issue belongs to the section "Novel Antimicrobial Agents".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 March 2025) | Viewed by 8833

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Matteo Micucci

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biomolecular Sciences, University of Urbino Carlo Bo, Urbino, Italy
Interests: food chemistry; nutraceuticals; phytochemistry; phytocomplexes; antiaging; inflammation; antimicrobial; antiviral
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Drug resistance is a global issue concerning bacteria, yeasts, viruses, and protozoa. It is a natural phenomenon that has been enhanced by the incorrect and excessive use of antimicrobial drugs.

Today, antibiotics resistance has become an issue of large and dangerous proportions for an ever-increasing number of microbial species, with many negative impacts, not only in aspects concerning health but also those related to health expenditure. Therefore, it is necessary to identify new substances able to inhibit many microbial species, including antibiotic-resistant ones. Natural products have played a central role in many therapeutical areas, especially in infectious diseases. These compounds are characterized by a high structural heterogeneity and complexity, in addition to their ability to act on several microbial and host targets. Accordingly, this Special Issue aims at favoring scientific research in the field of natural compounds endowed with antimicrobial effects.

This may lead to the expansion of the number of compounds with antimicrobial activity against several species, including MDR microorganisms.

Studies on the effects of chemically characterized phytocomplexes and isolated compounds with antimicrobial activities will be particularly appreciated.

Dr. Matteo Micucci
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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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.

Keywords

  • natural compounds
  • phytocomplexes
  • polyphenols
  • flavonoids
  • antibacterial
  • multitarget
  • nutraceuticals

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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22 pages, 7293 KiB  
Article
Cinnamic Acid Compounds (p-Coumaric, Ferulic, and p-Methoxycinnamic Acid) as Effective Antibacterial Agents Against Colistin-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii
by Alaaddin Korkut, Serap Özkaya Gül, Esra Aydemir, Hakan Er and Elif Odabaş Köse
Antibiotics 2025, 14(1), 71; https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics14010071 - 11 Jan 2025
Viewed by 1155
Abstract
Colistin-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (COLR-Ab) is an opportunistic pathogen commonly associated with nosocomial infections, and it is difficult to treat with current antibiotics. Therefore, new antimicrobial agents need to be developed for treatment. Based on this information, we investigated the antimicrobial, antibiofilm, and combination [...] Read more.
Colistin-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (COLR-Ab) is an opportunistic pathogen commonly associated with nosocomial infections, and it is difficult to treat with current antibiotics. Therefore, new antimicrobial agents need to be developed for treatment. Based on this information, we investigated the antimicrobial, antibiofilm, and combination activities of p-coumaric acid (p-CA), ferulic acid (FA), and p-methoxycinnamic acid (p-MCA) against five COLR-Ab isolates. p-CA, FA, and p-MCA exhibited antimicrobial activity against COLR-Ab isolates, with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values in the range of 256–128 µg/mL, 1024–512 µg/mL, and 512–128 µg/mL, respectively. The combination effects of the compounds with colistin (COL) were evaluated using a checkerboard synergy test. The combinations exhibited a synergistic effect and caused a 128- to 16-fold decrease in COL MIC values. In addition, the biofilm production capacities of the COLR-Ab isolates and the antibiofilm activities of the compounds were determined using the microtitre plate-based crystal violet (CV) technique. The compounds showed effective antibiofilm activity against strong and moderate biofilm-producing isolates, inhibiting biofilm formation by 77.5% and 19.7%. Spectrometric measurements were used to examine the effect of compounds on membrane permeability; 1.9-, 1.66-, and 1.34-fold increases in absorbance values were observed at MIC concentrations of p-CA, FA, and p-MCA, respectively. Furthermore, morphological changes caused by the compounds in the isolate were observed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrographs. According to the WST assay, the compounds did not show any statistically significant cytotoxic effect on the cells (p > 0.05). These findings indicate that p-CA, FA, and p-MCA may be potential new alternative candidates against resistant A. baumannii. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Life Defense in the New Century: Natural Products in the Development of New Antimicrobial Drugs)
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24 pages, 4618 KiB  
Article
Synthesis of Green Engineered Silver Nanoparticles through Urtica dioica: An Inhibition of Microbes and Alleviation of Cellular and Organismal Toxicity in Drosophila melanogaster
by Mahendra P. Singh, Shabnam Shabir, Aman Singh Deopa, Sanchina Raj Raina, Farkad Bantun, Naif A. Jalal, Noha E. Abdel-razik, Yahya F. Jamous, Maryam S. Alhumaidi, Khadijah A. Altammar, Ahmed Hjazi, Sandeep Kumar Singh and Emanuel Vamanu
Antibiotics 2022, 11(12), 1690; https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics11121690 - 23 Nov 2022
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 3606
Abstract
Plant fractions have a diversity of biomolecules that can be used to make complicated reactions for the bioactive fabrication of metal nanoparticles (NPs), in addition to being beneficial as antioxidant medications or dietary supplements. The current study shows that Urtica dioica (UD) and [...] Read more.
Plant fractions have a diversity of biomolecules that can be used to make complicated reactions for the bioactive fabrication of metal nanoparticles (NPs), in addition to being beneficial as antioxidant medications or dietary supplements. The current study shows that Urtica dioica (UD) and biologically synthesized silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) of UD have antibacterial and antioxidant properties against bacteria (Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas putida) and Drosophila melanogaster (Oregon R+). According to their ability to scavenge free radicals, DPPH, ABTS, TFC, and TPC initially estimated the antioxidant potential of UD and UD AgNPs. The fabricated AgNPs were analyzed (UV–Vis, FTIR, EDS, and SEM) to determine the functional groups (alcohol, carboxylic acids, phenol, proteins, and aldehydes) and to observe the shape (agglomerated crystalline and rod-shaped structure). The disc diffusion method was used to test the antimicrobial properties of synthesized Ag-NPs against E. coli and P. putida. For 24 to 120 h, newly enclosed flies and third instar larvae of Drosophila were treated with UD and UD AgNPs. After exposure, tests for biochemical effects (acetylcholinesterase inhibition and protein estimation assays), cytotoxicity (dye exclusion), and behavioral effects (jumping and climbing assays) were conducted. The results showed that nanoparticles were found to have potent antimicrobial activity against all microbial strains tested at various concentrations. In this regard, ethno-medicinal characteristics exhibit a similar impact in D. melanogaster, showing (p < 0.05) significantly decreased cellular toxicity (trypan blue dye), enhanced biochemical markers (AChE efficacy and proteotoxicity), and improved behavioral patterns in the organism treated with UD AgNPs, especially in comparison to UD extract. The results of this study may help in the utilization of specific plants as reliable sources of natural antioxidants that may have been beneficial in the synthesis of metallic NPs, which aids in the production of nanomedicine and other therapeutic applications. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Life Defense in the New Century: Natural Products in the Development of New Antimicrobial Drugs)
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Review

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24 pages, 2416 KiB  
Review
Anti-COVID-19 Credentials of Chitosan Composites and Derivatives: Future Scope?
by Judy Gopal, Manikandan Muthu, Suraj Shiv Charan Pushparaj and Iyyakkannu Sivanesan
Antibiotics 2023, 12(4), 665; https://doi.org/10.3390/antibiotics12040665 - 28 Mar 2023
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 2747
Abstract
Chitosan derivatives and composites are the next generation polymers for biomedical applications. With their humble origins from the second most abundant naturally available polymer chitin, chitosan is currently one of the most promising polymer systems, with wide biological applications. This current review gives [...] Read more.
Chitosan derivatives and composites are the next generation polymers for biomedical applications. With their humble origins from the second most abundant naturally available polymer chitin, chitosan is currently one of the most promising polymer systems, with wide biological applications. This current review gives a bird’s eye view of the antimicrobial applications of chitosan composites and derivatives. The antiviral activity and the mechanisms behind the inhibitory activity of these components have been reviewed. Specifically, the anti-COVID-19 aspects of chitosan composites and their derivatives have been compiled from the existing scattered reports and presented. Defeating COVID-19 is the battle of this century, and the chitosan derivative-based combat strategies naturally become very attractive. The challenges ahead and future recommendations have been addressed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Life Defense in the New Century: Natural Products in the Development of New Antimicrobial Drugs)
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