| Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are a crucial part of innate immunity that exist in the most of living organisms. In fact, AMPs
have ability to incite the innate immune response and combat with a broad range of microbes, including bacteria, virus,
parasite and fungi. Moreover, recent studies indicated that, the small cationic peptides have ability to target cancer cells and
can be used as the cancer therapeutic agents. AMPs are the very tiny macromolecules, commonly in the range of 6 to 100
amino acids. During last decades with the growing antibiotic resistance, AMPs have gained considerable attention because
of potential application to combat multidrug-resistant microorganisms. Therefore, herein we aimed to review the features
of antibacterial peptides, including their classification, structure, source, mechanism of action and clinical application.
Furthermore, problems in the production of recombinant peptides and also newest researches in the clinical developments
of AMPs for treatment of crucial diseases; particularly cancers will be reviewed. |