Experts have identified Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) as one of the most critical global public health and development challenges, emphasizing the potential of natural products as effective antimicrobial agents. They also underscored the contributions of the Islamic Golden Age to modern medicine, particularly in the realm of multi-disciplinary medical advancements.
According to estimates, bacterial AMR was directly responsible for 1.27 million deaths worldwide in 2019 and contributed to a total of five million AMR-associated deaths. Scholars highlighted that plant-based products hold significant promise as antimicrobial agents in combating this crisis.
These insights were shared by national and international scholars during plenary and invited lectures on the second day of the 16th International Symposium on Natural Product Chemistry (ISNPC-16), hosted by the International Center for Chemical and Biological Sciences (ICCBS) at the University of Karachi (UoK) on Wednesday. The symposium has drawn 60 scholars from 29 countries, along with 400 Pakistani researchers.
Italian scientist Prof Dr Marcello Iriti emphasized that AMR poses a severe public health threat, with approximately five million deaths attributed to it globally. He suggested that a promising therapeutic approach involves combining natural products with conventional antibiotics to curb the development of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains and counteract multidrug resistance caused by bacterial efflux pumps. “Undoubtedly, plant-derived products are promising antimicrobial agents,” he remarked.
Prof Dr Hesham R El-Seedi from Sweden explored the historical use of medicinal plants and their modern applications in both preclinical and clinical studies. He highlighted the extensive knowledge possessed by ancient Egyptian and Chinese civilizations in drug preparation from plants and herbs. He further noted that traditional Islamic Medicine has played a crucial role in advancing medical and scientific knowledge, forming the basis for contemporary research in natural remedies.
Prof Dr Ute Romling from Sweden discussed the unintended consequences of modern medicine and technological advancements, particularly their role in the emergence of new disease patterns, including the evolution and spread of pandemic clones of pathogenic bacteria.
Iranian scholar Prof Dr Babak Kaboudin noted that gene therapy using artificial nanomaterials has gained significant attention over the past two decades due to its potential to treat a broad range of human diseases.
Additionally, Prof Dr Norbert Sewald from Germany delivered a lecture, among numerous other scholars who presented their research in concurrent sessions on the second day of the symposium. The event continues to provide a platform for researchers worldwide to share their findings and explore innovative solutions to combat AMR and related medical challenges.