Phytomedicine from Middle Eastern Countries: An Alternative Remedy to Modern Medicine against spp Infection.

spp are capable of infecting both normal and immunocompromised individuals. More recently, infections have spread considerably in healthcare settings, especially in intensive care units, where it is the most frequently encountered pathogen. is the commonest species encountered, although infections by non- species have also risen in the past few years. The pathogenicity of is credited to its aptitude to change between yeast and hyphal modes of growth. spp produce biofilms on synthetic materials that protect them and facilitate drug resistance and act as a source for chronic and recurrent infections. Primarily, azoles antifungal agents are utilized to treat infection that targets the ergosterol synthesis pathway in the cell wall. The development of antifungal resistance in species is a major reason for treatment failure, and hence, there is a need to develop newer antifungal molecules and/or modifications of existing antifungals to make them more effective and less toxic. This has led researchers to oversee the plants to discover newer antimicrobials. Middle Eastern countries are well known for their landscape ranging from dry and sandy deserts to snow-capped mountains. However, they comprise enormous plant diversity with over 20,000 different species showing various types of bioactivities, such as anticancer, antidiabetic, and antimicrobial activities. Especially, the antifungal potential of these phytoproducts could be exploited in the clinical setting for therapy. The present review examines some of the promising alternative natural compounds that have been tested and found effective in treating infections in some Middle Eastern countries.