Page 94 - ITPS-8-2

INNOSC Theranostics and
Pharmacological Sciences Transformative natural product-drug combinations

of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) complicates treatment the feasibility of producing these compounds at scale.
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efficacy by enabling pathogens to evolve mechanisms Genetic engineering has also been utilized to produce
that resist drug therapy, leading to persistent infections complex natural products like artemisinin through
and increased transmission rates. According to Cesur yeast, addressing challenges associated with traditional
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and Demiröz and Olga et al., this phenomenon not extraction methods from Artemisia annua. 11
only endangers health outcomes but also amplifies the
burden on healthcare systems worldwide. The World 1.2. The role of medicinal plants in combating AMR
Health Organization underscores the severity of the Medicinal plants are rich sources of diverse phytochemicals,
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issue, reporting that AMR causes approximately 700,000 the composition of which varies depending on the plant
deaths annually. Projections indicate that this figure could species, its geographical location, and the extraction
escalate to 10 million deaths per year by 2050 if effective solvent used. 13-16 Studies by Khosravi, Alzohairy, and
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interventions are not implemented. Several interrelated Jafarnejad et al. suggest that aqueous plant extracts may
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factors, such as overuse and misuse of antibiotics in effectively treat bacterial infections, sometimes showing
medicine, agriculture, and animal husbandry, drive the comparable or even superior efficacy to certain antibiotics
escalation of AMR. Practices such as over-prescription, while potentially reducing the development of bacterial
self-medication, and the use of antibiotics as growth resistance. Drug repurposing also offers a promising
promoters in livestock exacerbate the problem. The strategy in the fight against drug-resistant pathogens. This
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pipeline for new antibiotics is worryingly sparse due approach involves using known compounds or existing
to significant financial and scientific barriers faced by drugs to treat recalcitrant infections and diseases.
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pharmaceutical companies. Moreover, environmental Moreover, two potent bioactive compounds with diverse
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pollution and climate change contribute to the spread pharmacological activities present new opportunities
and mutation of resistant pathogens, further complicating for treating resistant infections. For example, the triple
efforts to control AMR. 4,6 synergistic inhibitory activities of riboprine and forodesine
against the enzymes RNA-dependent RNA polymerase,
1.1. Addressing AMR with medicinal plant exonuclease, and adenosine kinase in the replication of
compounds severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2. 21,22
The production of bioactive compounds from medicinal This review explores strategies to develop, modify, or
plants necessitates the use of sophisticated techniques to optimize potent active compounds using a combinatorial
ensure scalability and efficiency. Direct extraction can synthetic method that utilizes phytoconstituents present
be impractical, prompting the need for semi-synthesis, in plant extracts. The aim is to enhance their efficacy and
total synthesis, and biotechnological approaches as viable reduce the potential for pathogen resistance to existing
alternatives. Semi-synthesis involves modifying natural or new compounds. Evidence from attenuated total
compounds to enhance their efficacy or ease of production. reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-
A notable example is the production of the critical FTIR), gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS),
anticancer drug paclitaxel (Taxol). Advances in synthetic and antibacterial studies in the literature is presented to
chemistry have enabled the development of total synthesis support these approaches.
routes for compounds like paclitaxel and its derivatives,
improving availability and reducing the costs associated 2. Development and testing of
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with natural extraction methods. Biotechnological antimicrobial strategies incorporating
methods, including genetic engineering and microbial medicinal plant
fermentation, have revolutionized the production of
complex natural products. For instance, genes responsible Before plant extracts can be utilized, a meticulous process
for paclitaxel biosynthesis have been successfully involving harvesting, pre-treatment, and various extraction
integrated into microorganisms such as Escherichia coli methods must be followed to ensure the quality and efficacy
and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, enabling these microbes to of the final product. The initial step, harvesting, must be
produce paclitaxel precursors. In addition, plant cell culture timed appropriately to capture the peak concentration of
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techniques have been employed to cultivate paclitaxel desired phytochemicals. Pre-treatment processes such as
from Taxus cell cultures. The semi-synthesis of bioactive drying, grinding, and sometimes fermentation prepare
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terpenoids, steroids, and polyketides from uncultivated the plant material for extraction, thereby enhancing the
bacterial symbionts demonstrates the potential of these efficiency and yield of the subsequent steps. Different
approaches. 10,11 Biotechnological advancements, including extraction methods, such as maceration, infusion,
plant tissue culture and microbial fermentation, highlight decoction, and modern techniques like supercritical fluid

Volume 8 Issue 2 (2025) 88 doi: 10.36922/itps.4068