Challenges and Considerations in the Preparation of Novel Antibiotic Phytochemicals
Steven Eichelbaum
Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, 11220 SW 8th Street, Miami, FL, 33199, USA.
Steven Abood
Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, 11220 SW 8th Street, Miami, FL, 33199, USA.
Leonardo Acuña
Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, 11220 SW 8th Street, Miami, FL, 33199, USA.
Mariam Ahumada
Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, 11220 SW 8th Street, Miami, FL, 33199, USA.
Maria-Luisa Veisaga
Biomolecular Sciences Institute, Florida International University, 11220 SW 8th Street, Miami, FL, 33199, USA.
M. Alejandro Barbieri *
Department of Biological Sciences, Florida International University, 11220 SW 8th Street, Miami, FL, 33199, USA,Biomolecular Sciences Institute, Florida International University, 11220 SW 8th Street, Miami, FL, 33199, USA, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, 10901 Old Cutler Road, Coral Gables, FL, 33156, USA and International Center of Tropical Botany, Florida International University, 11220 SW 8th Street, Miami, FL, 33199, USA.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Drug-resistant pathogenic and opportunistic bacteria pose a global health threat. Plants, particularly those employed in traditional (folk) medicine, may provide a source of antimicrobials compounds possessing novel mechanisms of action with which to combat current and emerging infectious diseases. However, experimental designs in ethnobotanical investigations of this type are complicated by several factors. Among these are chemotype variations among plants and plant parts, and potential antagonistic, additive or synergistic effects between plant compounds. These efforts are further hindered by a lack of standardized applicable chemical extraction methods in the field, which makes assessment and comparison of experimental results difficult. This overview thus seeks to provide insight into these complicating factors, give a brief historical survey of ancient investigations into antibiotics, and identify some of the strengths and weaknesses of the various modern methods and techniques routinely employed in ethnobotanical antibiotic research.
Keywords: Natural products, phytochemicals, plant extracts, traditional folk medicine, antibiotics