ABSTRACT
Antimicrobial drug resistance is increasing at an alarming rate and has resulted in causing threat to the public health sector. Due to inefficiency of drugs and as a result of the advent of new resistance mechanisms, the microbial agents have developed multidrug resistance, thereby enhancing the morbidity and mortality rates, and earning the title “super bugs.” In addition to this improper sanitary facilities and inappropriate dietary habits have further peaked the multidrug resistance (MDR) spread. MDR has affected human health in ways beyond human comprehension such as prolonged illness, immense risk of death as well as high expenditures in hospital and medical bills. This ever-increasing crisis has led to new avenues such as antimicrobial polymers that possesses zero toxicity to cells. Inherent antimicrobial capacity along with various antimicrobial modes, biocompatibility, stability, structure, functionalities, low cost synthesis, and eco-friendly nature are few among the most promising features of the antimicrobial polymers. Quaternary ammonium salts (QAS) and quaternary phosphonium salts (QPS) are the most common types of antimicrobial polymers, but in-order to effectively combat the microbes there was a need of membrane active cationic polymers. Thus emerged “Polyionenes.” The additional dimension and the commercial 92availability of numerous building blocks are the key features that render the MDR pathogens ineffective. Polyionenes along with its key features ease of synthesis and scale-up have thus made its place in being the one of the most important family in anti-microbial polymers.
