Plant Natural Products as a Potential Source of Antimicrobial Agents: An Overview and a Glimpse on Recent Developments

Abstract

Natural products of plant origin are being used to cure infections since ancient times. However, the real breakthrough in the field of antimicrobial agents was after the advent of a chemical substance produced by a strain of the mold Penicillium, by Alexander Fleming, that he named penicillin in 1928. Since that time, the fungi and higher plants have been searched for antibacterial compounds, including cephalosporins and aminoglycosides. In some of our previous articles published during years 2009–2010 we reviewed the literature on plant natural products harboring the antibacterial and antifungal properties. In this article we will explore the very recent developments in the said field with an emphasis on antibacterial, antifungal, anti-parasitic and antiviral potentials (especially against Human Immunodeficiency virus and Influenza virus) and some of the other interesting recent developments.