IMPDH as a potential antibacterial drug target for microbial infections: a review on a decade of targeted therapy and its implications

Infectious diseases of bacterial origin currently account for the greatest number of human deaths worldwide, serving as a major hurdle for the growth of many developing nations including the Indian subcontinent. However, identification of potential therapeutic drug targets in infectious pathogens, to facilitate species-selective and target-specific inhibition for the development of effective therapeutic regimens, involves several challenges ranging from the identification and validation of a suitable drug target to overcoming drug toxicity and antimicrobial resistance. This short review is a compilation of a decade of research on the potential antibacterial drug target inosine-5?-monophosphate dehydrogenase (IMPDH) and its therapeutic implications for microbial infections.