Preface

The 9th volume of Frontiers in Clinical Drug Research – Anti-Infectives comprises five chapters that cover several important topics, including the role of mature drugs in COVID-19, antivirals to treat COVID-19, ribosomally synthesized bacteriocins as potent anti-infective agents and natural anti-infective agents.

In Chapter 1, Haller et al., discuss the potential positioning of three mature innovative drugs—OM-85, calcium dobesilate, and its salt form, etamsylate. These drugs have demonstrated anti-viral and anti-inflammatory properties, which could be of potential use for the treatment of COVID-19. Bhattacharyya, in Chapter 2, addresses the issues associated with available antivirals, including their modes of action, adverse effects, and drug interactions.

Elkhateeb et al., in Chapter 3, highlight the importance of bacteriocins as anti-infective agents, describing their common mechanisms of action and recent clinical and therapeutic applications. Bhattacharyya et al., in the next chapter, summarize the relationship between oxidative stress, viral infection, and various therapeutic strategies involving antioxidants. Finally, Padwad et al., in the last chapter of the volume, discuss phytomolecules, their biological potential, and how these molecules regulate innate and adaptive immune responses in infectious diseases.

I would like to thank all the authors for their excellent contributions, which should be of great interest to readers. I am also grateful for the timely efforts of the editorial personnel, especially Mr. Mahmood Alam (Editorial Director), Mr. Obaid Sadiq (In-charge, Books Department), and Miss Asma Ahmed (Senior Manager, Publications) at Bentham Science Publishers.