Mohammed I and Dua HS

Evaluation of Host Defense Peptide (CaD23)-Antibiotic Interaction and Mechanism of Action: Insights From Experimental and Molecular Dynamics Simulations Studies

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is currently one of the major global health threats. (Prestinaci et al., 2015; Ventola, 2015) By 2050, it is estimated to cause 10 million deaths and cost the global economy up to 100 trillion USD if the issue remains untackled. (O’Neill, 2016) In addition, non-systemic infections, including ocular and skin infections, are being increasingly affected by drug-resistant pathogens, which usually result in poor prognosis (Ventola, 2015; Pulido-Cejudo et al., 2017; Ting et al., 2021a). In view of the colossal impact on global health and economy, various initiatives and strategies have been proposed and implemented to tackle AMR. These include establishment of antimicrobial stewardship to monitor the use of antimicrobial agents and the rise of AMR, development of new drugs and vaccines, drug repurposing, and incentivising pharmaceutical companies for investing in antimicrobial drug development. (Ventola, 2015)