Recent advances in the therapeutic potential of cathelicidins.

The alarming increase in antimicrobial resistance in the last decades has prompted the search for alternatives to control infectious diseases. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) represent a heterogeneous class of molecules with ample antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal effects. They can be found in many organisms, including all classes of vertebrates, providing a valuable source of new antimicrobial agents.