Antimicrobial Effect

**Semantic type:** Physiologic Function

**Definition:** An Antimicrobial Effect involves interference with, or restraint of, the activities of biologic molecules and complexes, or cellular components involved in the life cycle of a microorganism, resulting in suppression of microbial growth. Mechanisms to suppress growth include inhibition of cell wall synthesis; increased cell wall permeability; protein synthesis inhibition; and inhibition of reverse transcriptase and protease.