• Question: is it possible antimicrobial peptides be produced in/by plants that will work on humans as antibiotics? (i want to be a doctor when im older)

    Asked by u11bradshawt to Glyn on 18 Mar 2013.
    • Photo: Glyn Barrett

      Glyn Barrett answered on 18 Mar 2013:


      Hi there! That is such a good question!
      It is true that most antibiotics are produced by micro-organisms (bacteria, yeast, fungi etc). Ive actually worked quite a lot in my lab on identifying antibiotic producing strains. Similar to what Alexander Fleming did when he discovered penicillin. Its quite a cool little experiment where you see some really nice “zones of inhibition” or clear zones containing the antibiotics where bacteria can’t grow. Look at this image it’s pretty cool
      Plants are not known to produce compounds like this but they do produce a whole range of other compounds which are also very effective antimicrobials. They are called secondary metabolites and phytoalexins and you may already have some in your house right now. Garlic is really effective and a good supplement to your diet, as as Tea tree oil or tannins from oak leaves. These are all natural remedies which have been used for thousands of years by aboriginal people and they are gaining a lot of importance in the medical world.
      As for specific plant produced antimicrobial peptides, there are a huge number which have already been identified and are part of the plant innate immune response. Some of them are known as defensins or lipid transfer proteins and attack invading bacteria. Not much is known about the effects of the compounds in the human body but there is indeed great potential.
      There is a lot of research going into this field at the moment and it is for this reason that it is doubly important that the environment is protected as entire species of these beneficial plants could be completely destroyed through deforestation. As humans we are shooting ourselves in the foot!!

      So yes it is very possible but that plant compounds could be used as antibiotics but if the plants are destroyed so will their compounds be lost.

      Its great to hear that you want to become a doctor? What did you have in mind?
      Thanks again for the great question. If you want to know anymore just ask.
      Good luck to you! You could do ethnobotany combined with medicinal plant studies!Now that would be interesting 🙂

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