THE RENAISSANCE OF NATURAL PRODUCTS IN ANTI-INFECTIVE THERAPY: NOVEL ANTIMICROBIAL AND ANTIVIRAL STRATEGIES

The escalating crisis of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has renewed global interest in natural products as sources of novel anti-infective agents. Historically, natural products have served as the foundation of antimicrobial therapy, with penicillin, streptomycin, and tetracycline representing transformative discoveries. However, the drying of the natural product pipeline and the rise of synthetic chemistry led to reduced investment in natural product discovery. The current AMR crisis has catalyzed a renaissance in natural product-based anti-infective drug discovery, driven by advances in genomics, metabolomics, and screening technologies. This review critically examines the renewed exploration of natural products for antimicrobial and antiviral applications, focusing on novel molecular targets, strategies to overcome resistance, and synergistic combinations. We evaluate emerging discoveries from plants, fungi, bacteria, and marine organisms that exhibit activity against drug-resistant pathogens, including MRSA, ESKAPE pathogens, and multidrug-resistant fungi. Furthermore, we assess the potential of natural products to overcome resistance through novel mechanisms, including anti-virulence strategies, biofilm disruption, and efflux pump inhibition. Challenges including supply sustainability, clinical development, and rediscovery are critically examined. This review identifies promising research directions and proposes strategies for accelerating natural product anti-infective discovery.