Herbal Antimicrobial Peptides: A Medicinal and Nutraceutical Approach

A global problem is the rising incidence of antibiotic resistance among dangerous bacteria, which demands creative approaches to treat microbial illnesses. Considering this context, using herbal antimicrobial peptides (HAPs) offers a viable nutraceutical strategy for medical treatment. Beginning with an overview of the quick and widespread evolution of drug resistance in pathogenic bacteria, this review digs into the complex aspects of HAPs. The basic underpinnings of HAPs are investigated, emphasizing their inherent function in plant defense systems and potential for therapeutic use. The detailed discussion of the natural sources of these peptides sheds light on the many plant origins of these bioactive chemicals. The chapter goes on to explain how the complex structure–activity relationship (SAR) of HAPs contributes to their antibacterial activity. To fully use HAPs, extraction and isolation are essential procedures that call for a focused strategy. The chapter describes ways to use plant preparation and extraction to increase peptide production as well as tactics for effective herbal antibacterial separation. Moving forward, numerous HAP uses in treating microbial infections are being investigated, demonstrating their value in many therapeutic settings. This study does address the difficulties with HAPs, such as their variable effectiveness, possible toxicity, and stability issues. To overcome these obstacles and maximize the use of HAPs, it underlines the necessity for more study. In conclusion, the use of herbal antimicrobial peptides as a therapeutic nutraceutical strategy holds enormous promise for battling drug-resistant pathogens. It also provides insights into their biological underpinnings, sources, structure–activity relationships, extraction methods, applications, and the crucial issues that must be resolved for their successful implementation in clinical and therapeutic settings.