Plant lectins: A new antimicrobial frontier.
Emadeldin Hassan E Konozy1, Makarim El-Fadil M Osman1, Amina I Dirar2
1Department of Biotechnology, Africa City of Technology, Khartoum, Sudan.
Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy = Biomedecine & Pharmacotherapie
|September 24, 2022
Summary
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing threat, but plant lectins show promise as novel antimicrobial agents. These proteins can fight infections and enhance existing drugs, offering new hope against resistant pathogens.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Pharmacology
- Biochemistry
Background:
- Pathogenic microbes evolve resistance to medical treatments, leading to antimicrobial resistance (AMR).
- Existing antimicrobial drugs are becoming less effective due to pathogen adaptation.
- Natural compounds are explored as alternative antimicrobial agents.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the antibacterial and antifungal properties of plant lectins.
- To explore the potential of plant lectins as adjuvants to existing antimicrobial drugs.
- To investigate the immunomodulatory effects of plant lectins.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review of over 150 published research papers on plant lectins.
- Analysis of reported antibacterial and antifungal activities.
- Evaluation of synergistic effects with conventional antimicrobial drugs.
- Review of studies on plant lectin mechanisms of action and immunomodulatory effects.
Main Results:
- Plant lectins exhibit significant antibacterial and antifungal properties.
- Plant lectins can act synergistically with obsolete or abandoned antimicrobial drugs, enhancing their efficacy.
- Plant lectins possess immunomodulatory effects, potentially boosting the host immune system.
Conclusions:
- Plant lectins are promising candidates for novel antimicrobial therapies.
- The synergistic action of plant lectins offers a strategy to combat antimicrobial resistance.
- Plant lectins may serve a dual role in treating infections by directly acting on pathogens and modulating the immune response.
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