title: A review of antimicrobial peptides and their therapeutic potential as anti-infective drugs.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are an essential part of innate immunity that evolved in most living organisms over 2.6 billion years to combat microbial challenge. These small cationic peptides are multifunctional as effectors of innate immunity on skin and mucosal surfaces and have demonstrated direct antimicrobial activity against various bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites. This review summarizes their progress to date as commercial antimicrobial drugs for topical and systemic indications.
  
  
  METHODS
  Literature review.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Despite numerous clinical trials, no modified AMP has obtained Food & Drug Administration approval yet for any topical or systemic medical indications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  While AMPs are recognized as essential components of natural host innate immunity against microbial challenge, their usefulness as a new class of antimicrobial drugs still remains to be proven.
authors: The Charles T. Campbell Ophthalmic Microbiology Laboratory, UPMC Eye Center, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, USA. gordonsj@upmc.edu
authors: Y Jerold
authors: YJ
authors: Gordon
authors: Eric G
authors: EG
authors: Romanowski
authors: Alison M
authors: AM
authors: McDermott
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006090:Gram-Negative Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D006094:Gram-Positive Bacteria / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D023181:Antimicrobial Cationic Peptides