A mini review on peptides as potential antifungal therapeutics.

Abstract

Continuous increase in antimicrobial resistance and limited number of antifungal drugs forced us to search for new antifungal molecules with novel mechanism of action. Natural antimicrobial peptides, which are ubiquitous component of innate immunity, represent their candidature for novel antifungal peptides. Various antifungal peptides have been isolated from different species ranging from small marine organisms to insects and from various other living species. Based on these peptides various mimetic of antifungal peptides have also been synthesized using non-natural amino acids. Utilization of these antifungal peptides is somehow limited due to their toxic and unstable nature. This review discusses recent updates and future directions of antifungal peptides. Furthermore, this review will provide a base for research that is required to be done in refining properties of previously synthesized antifungal peptides for taking them to shelf from bench.