Buforin II is a highly potent antimicrobial peptide which was derived from buforin I, a peptide isolated from the stomach of the Asian toad, Bufo bufo garagrizans. Buforin II is an α-helical antimicrobial peptide, however it has far stronger antimicrobial activity against a broad spectrum of microorganisms compared with other α-helical antimicrobial peptides. Buforin II may have a different mode of action to that of other α-helical peptides targeting nucleic acids instead of cell membranes.