Short review on the potential alternatives to antibiotics in the era of antibiotic resistance

Abstract

The importance of antibiotics in the treatment of infectious diseases of bacterial origin is well established. Despite the positive contribution of antibiotics in veterinary and clinical medicine, some of these molecules were regarded as harmful to both human and animal health with some undesirable effects. Moreover, microorganisms have developed resistance mechanisms to almost all commonly used antibiotics. Hence, there is an urgent need to find alternative ways against bacterial resistance to antibiotics which constitute a public health concern worldwide. The search for solutions to overcome this problem prompted researchers to seek new methods and molecules to continue the treatment of bacterial infections while limiting the spread of resistance and thwarting already resistant germs. The present study is new and current because it presents in a single document the most known alternatives to antibiotics. Therefore, the aim of this brief review was to discuss methods that can constitute a valid way to reduce the use or even replace conventional antibiotics. We found that phage therapy, probiotics, antimicrobial peptides, vaccines, medicinal plants, nanoparticles, antibodies, and cytokines are among the most promising alternatives and more investigation should focus on them.

Phytochemical Analysis, Antibacterial and Antibiofilm Activities of Aloe vera Aqueous Extract against Selected Resistant Gram-Negative Bacteria Involved in Urinary Tract Infections

“…Antibiotic resistance is defined as the ability of a bacteria to resist the inhibitory or destructive activity of an antimicrobial to which it was not resistant [1,2]. This problem poses serious public health concerns because it negatively impacts the treatment of infections requiring antibiotics.…”

“…A recent report from the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that more than 730,000 deaths are directly associated with antibiotic resistance annually [3]. In addition to the increase in mortality, several researchers have reported that antibiotic resistance inevitably leads to an increase in medical expenses resulting from the failure of primary antibiotic treatments and prolonged hospitalizations [2]. No bacterial infections, including urinary tract infections (UTIs), are spared from this major public health issue.…”

A comparative study on biosynthesized silver nanoparticles from H. undatus fruit peel and their therapeutic applications

“…The antifungal potential of the biosynthesized AgNPs against two pathogenic strains Candida albicans and Candida tropicalis was evaluated using the agar well diffusion method as described by Joseph et al [ 18 ]. Wells with a diameter of 8 mm were punched in potato dextrose agar medium and 100 µL of each microorganism was spread using a sterile cotton swab.…”

Antibacterial efficacy and phytochemical properties of the bark extract of <em>Connarus monocarpus</em> (Fam: Connaraceae)

“…Several approaches are being pursued to address the challenge of antibiotic resistance and create new drugs with improved efficacy. These include phage therapy, probiotics, antimicrobial peptides, vaccines, nanoparticles, antibodies, cytokines and therapeutic medicinal plants (Joseph et al, 2022). Among these approaches, therapeutic medicinal plants with antimicrobial properties based on traditional medicine knowledge and practices are being explored to develop new drugs with improved pharmacological activities (Kouakou et al, 2019).…”