Leveraging Africa’s biodiverse heritage against antimicrobial resistance: an integrative review of natural products, ethnobotany, and innovation policy

Abstract

Antimicrobial resistance poses a disproportionate threat in Africa, exacerbated by a high burden of infectious diseases and limited therapeutic options. The continent’s rich biodiversity and deep ethnobotanical knowledge present a formidable, yet underutilised, arsenal for novel antimicrobial discovery. This integrative review synthesises current evidence on promising anti-AMR natural products, ranging from terrestrial plants such as Cryptolepis sanguinolenta to marine peptides, and evaluates the scientific, technological, and policy landscapes shaping their development. Across the reviewed literature, promising activity is most consistently reported for alkaloid-rich terrestrial plants, selected endophyte-associated metabolites, and structurally distinct marine peptides, although the evidence remains largely limited to early in vitro studies. Our analysis reveals that the primary impediment is not a lack of bioactive leads, but a translational chasm caused by fragmented validation infrastructure, inconsistent regulatory and Access and Benefit-Sharing regimes, and a weak entrepreneurial ecosystem. To bridge this gap, synchronised advances are needed in regional validation capacity, harmonised policies that support ethical innovation, and pathways for sustainable commercialisation. We propose a three-pillar translational framework integrating advanced research, entrepreneurial support, and ethical governance.