Recent advances in the research of plant-derived anti-fungal compounds

The elaboration of medicines based on herbal compounds is a potential answer to the desideratum of The World Health Organization concerning the necessity of new therapeutic strategies. Studies concerning the anti-fungal action of certain plant-derived compounds confirm the modern medicine trend of searching for new chemical substances with therapeutic potential using natural sources. Discovering of new anti-fungal agents that are both long-term efficient and safe, causing no side effects is a general desiderate, especially in the modern era when diseases become more and more aggressive. Recent laboratory studies proved the huge potential of herbal compounds in inhibiting diseases caused by various fungi, alone or in combination with standard anti-fungal agents. Even if the mechanism of action of herbal active compounds is not completely understood yet and some pharmacokinetic issues need to be elucidated, the use of plant-derived compounds should be regarded as a future strategy for counteracting fungal diseases.