Natural products have historically played a central role in the development of antimicrobial drugs, with many clinically important antibiotics and antifungals originating from plants, microorganisms, and other natural sources. However, the increasing prevalence of antimicrobial resistance has reduced the effectiveness of many existing treatments, necessitating the search for novel therapeutic alternatives.
Advances in molecular microbiology, biotechnology, high-throughput screening, and omics technologies have enabled the identification of new natural compounds with potent antimicrobial activities and unique mechanisms of action. These agents may target microbial growth, virulence, biofilm formation, or host immune responses, providing opportunities to overcome conventional resistance mechanisms. Continued research is essential to translate these discoveries into safe and effective interventions for infectious disease management.
Antimicrobial resistance is escalating at an alarming rate, threatening the effectiveness of existing antimicrobial therapies and increasing the burden of infectious diseases worldwide. Despite significant advances in drug development, the discovery of novel antimicrobial agents has not kept pace with the emergence of resistant pathogens. Natural products and biologically derived compounds represent an underexploited reservoir of therapeutic candidates with unique mechanisms of action and potential applications against multidrug-resistant microorganisms.
The goal of this Research Topic is to provide a platform for researchers to share cutting-edge findings on the discovery, characterization, and translational development of natural antimicrobial agents. By bringing together studies ranging from basic mechanistic investigations to preclinical and clinical applications, this collection aims to facilitate the development of innovative strategies for preventing and treating infectious diseases while addressing the global challenge of antimicrobial resistance.
This Research Topic welcomes original research articles, reviews, mini-reviews, systematic reviews, perspectives, and opinion articles focusing on natural antimicrobial agents and their applications against infectious diseases. Topics of interest include, but are not limited to:
- Discovery and characterization of natural antimicrobial compounds
- Antimicrobial peptides and peptide-derived therapeutics
- Natural products targeting bacterial, fungal, viral, and parasitic pathogens
- Mechanisms of antimicrobial action and resistance
- Anti-biofilm and anti-virulence strategies
- Host-directed and immunomodulatory therapies
- Omics-based approaches for antimicrobial discovery
- Computational and AI-assisted drug discovery
- Nanotechnology and advanced delivery systems
- Preclinical and clinical evaluation of natural antimicrobial agents
- Combination therapies and resistance mitigation strategies
Authors are encouraged to submit interdisciplinary studies that bridge fundamental microbiology, drug discovery, and translational medicine.
Article types and fees
This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:
Brief Research Report
Editorial
FAIR² Data
General Commentary
Hypothesis and Theory
Methods
Mini Review
Opinion
Original Research
Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.
Article types
This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:
Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
