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Traditional medicine as an effective approach to deal with antibiotic resistance

The need for new antimicrobial agents is greater than ever because of the global emergence of multidrug resistance in common pathogens and the appearance of new infectious diseases. Currently, it is undisputed that natural products have been, and will be, key sources of innovative pharmaceutical therapeutic agents. In the context of drug discovery from natural sources, Traditional Chinese Medicine and Traditional Mediterranean Herbal Medicine may offer a plethora of interesting possibilities to combat drug resistance. Plant-derived natural products inhibit bacterial growth by different mechanisms depending on their chemical structure and properties. Acting on multiple biochemical targets of the bacterial cell, different of those of conventional antibiotics, plant compounds could be of clinical value in the treatment of resistant bacteria. They act as resistance-modifying agents by inhibiting efflux pumps, affecting membrane permeability, inhibiting bacterial enzymes that inactivate antibiotics, or acting on the modified target sites of antimicrobial action. The perspective of phytomolecules as antibacterial agents in combination with existing antibiotics provides their other attractive application. Traditional medical knowledge integrated with major scientific and technological advances in the relevant research area may be an effective approach to deal with the global antimicrobial resistance. Collaborative, innovative and multidisciplinary research is therefore crucial.

traditional medicine ; antimicrobial natural products ; antibiotic resistance

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