Fecha de publicación: -- Fuente: PubMed "industrial biotechnology" Fitoterapia. 2026 Sep 24:107480. doi: 10.1016/j.fitote.2026.107480. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTNatural resins are substances of plant origin secreted by plants in response to biological or environmental aggression. Rich in bioactive compounds such as terpenes, flavonoids, phenolic acids, and alkaloids, they have been used since ancient times for their therapeutic properties. This review focuses on natural resins, including plant-derived resins such as propolis, frankincense (incense), myrrh, gum arabic, mastic, dragon's blood, guggul, tragacanth, and asafoetida, as well as the insect-derived resin shellac, which represents an exceptional case among natural resins. Comparing their effectiveness against bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites, and identifying their mechanisms of action. Data were collected from PubMed, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, and Web of Science. The information was organized according to resin type, targeted microorganism or parasite, study type (in vitro, in vivo, or clinical), mechanism of action, and observed efficacy. The studied resins exhibited various antimicrobial and antiparasitic effects, including bacterial and fungal inhibition and antiviral and antiparasitic actions. The main mechanisms of action include membrane disruption, biofilm inhibition, immune modulation, and enzyme inhibition. Among them, propolis and frankincense are characterized by a broad spectrum of activity, whereas other resins show more specific effects. In conclusion, natural resins represent a promising source of bioactive compounds for the development of new therapeutic applications owing to their diverse mechanisms and broad antimicrobial and antiparasitic potential.PMID:42785599 | DOI:10.1016/j.fitote.2026.107480