Abstract
Numerous antimicrobial peptides (AMP) obtained from natural sources are
currently tested in clinical or preclinical settings for treating infections triggered by
antimicrobial-resistant bacteria. Several experiments with cyclic, linear and
diastereomeric AMPs have proved that the geometry, along with the chemical
properties of an AMP, is important for the microbiological activities of these
compounds. It is understood that the combination of the hydrophobic and hydrophilic
nature of AMPs is crucial for the adsorption and destruction of the bacterial membrane.
However, the application of AMPs in therapeutics is still limited due to their poor
pharmacokinetics, low bacteriological efficacy and overall high manufacturing costs.
To overcome these problems, a variety of newly synthesized cationic amphiphiles have
recently appeared, which imitate not only the amphiphilic nature but also the potent
antibacterial activities of the AMPs with better pharmacokinetic properties and lesser in
vitro toxicity. Thus, amphiphiles of this new genre have enough potential to deliver
several antibacterial molecules in years to come.