Challenge in the Discovery of New Drugs: Antimicrobial Peptides against WHO-List of Critical and High-Priority Bacteria
Cesar Augusto Roque-Borda,
Patricia Bento da Silva,
Mosar Corrêa Rodrigues,
Ricardo Bentes Azevedo,
Leonardo Di Filippo,
Jonatas L. Duarte,
Marlus Chorilli,
Eduardo Festozo Vicente,
Fernando Rogério Pavan
Affiliations
Cesar Augusto Roque-Borda
Tuberculosis Research Laboratory, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Araraquara 14800-903, Brazil
Patricia Bento da Silva
Laboratory of Nanobiotechnology, Department of Genetics and Morphology, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Brasilia, Brasilia 70910-900, Brazil
Mosar Corrêa Rodrigues
Laboratory of Nanobiotechnology, Department of Genetics and Morphology, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Brasilia, Brasilia 70910-900, Brazil
Ricardo Bentes Azevedo
Laboratory of Nanobiotechnology, Department of Genetics and Morphology, Institute of Biological Sciences, University of Brasilia, Brasilia 70910-900, Brazil
Leonardo Di Filippo
Department of Drugs and Medicines, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Araraquara 14800-903, Brazil
Jonatas L. Duarte
Department of Drugs and Medicines, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Araraquara 14800-903, Brazil
Marlus Chorilli
Department of Drugs and Medicines, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Araraquara 14800-903, Brazil
Eduardo Festozo Vicente
School of Sciences and Engineering, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Tupã 17602-496, Brazil
Fernando Rogério Pavan
Tuberculosis Research Laboratory, School of Pharmaceutical Sciences, São Paulo State University (UNESP), Araraquara 14800-903, Brazil
Bacterial resistance has intensified in recent years due to the uncontrolled use of conventional drugs, and new bacterial strains with multiple resistance have been reported. This problem may be solved by using antimicrobial peptides (AMPs), which fulfill their bactericidal activity without developing much bacterial resistance. The rapid interaction between AMPs and the bacterial cell membrane means that the bacteria cannot easily develop resistance mechanisms. In addition, various drugs for clinical use have lost their effect as a conventional treatment; however, the synergistic effect of AMPs with these drugs would help to reactivate and enhance antimicrobial activity. Their efficiency against multi-resistant and extensively resistant bacteria has positioned them as promising molecules to replace or improve conventional drugs. In this review, we examined the importance of antimicrobial peptides and their successful activity against critical and high-priority bacteria published in the WHO list.
