A Comprehensive Review of Antimicrobial Agents Against Clinically Important Bacterial Pathogens: Prospects for Phytochemicals
Abstract
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) hinders the effective treatment of a range of bacterial infections, posing a serious threat to public health globally, as it challenges the currently available antimicrobial drugs. Among the various modes of antimicrobial action, antimicrobial agents that act on membranes have the most promising efficacy. However, there are no consolidated reports on the shortcomings of these drugs, existing challenges, or the potential applications of phytochemicals that act on membranes. Therefore, in this review, we have addressed the challenges and focused on various phytochemicals as antimicrobial agents acting on the membranes of clinically important bacterial pathogens. Antibacterial phytochemicals comprise diverse group of agents found in a wide range of plants. These compounds have been found to disrupt cell membranes, inhibit enzymes, interfere with protein synthesis, generate reactive oxygen species, modulate quorum sensing, and inhibit bacterial adhesion, making them promising candidates for the development of novel antibacterial therapies. Recently, polyphenolic compounds have been reported to have proven efficacy against nosocomial multidrug-resistant pathogens. However, more high-quality studies, improved standards, and the adoption of rules and regulations are required to firmly confirm the clinical efficacy of phytochemicals derived from plants. Identifying potential challenges, thrust areas of research, and considering viable approaches is esse…
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The discrepancy in sensitivity between Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria is primarily due to fundamental structural and compositional differences in their cell envelopes.
“This discrepancy is primarily due to fundamental structural and compositional differences in their cell envelopes.”
From Influence of Extraction Parameters on Bioactive Compounds and Antimicrobial Activity of Banana Peel Using Ethanol-Water Solvent (2026) · cites this paper as Ghosh et al., 2025
Gram-negative bacteria have an additional outer membrane rich in lipopolysaccharides that functions as a formidable permeability barrier.
“Gram-negative bacteria are characterized by the presence of an additional outer membrane that is rich in lipopolysaccharides, which functions as a formidable permeability barrier.”
From Influence of Extraction Parameters on Bioactive Compounds and Antimicrobial Activity of Banana Peel Using Ethanol-Water Solvent (2026) · cites this paper as Ghosh et al., 2025
The outer membrane of Gram-negative bacteria limits the penetration of antimicrobial substances, including polyphenols and other phytochemicals, thereby reducing their effectiveness against Gram-negative species.
“This outer membrane effectively limits the penetration of a wide range of antimicrobial substances, including polyphenols and other naturally occurring phytochemicals, thereby reducing the effectiveness of these agents against Gram-negative species (Sun et al., 2022; Ghosh et al., 2025).”
From Influence of Extraction Parameters on Bioactive Compounds and Antimicrobial Activity of Banana Peel Using Ethanol-Water Solvent (2026) · cites this paper as Ghosh et al., 2025
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İmece, A. (2026) · Journal of the Institute of Science and Technology · doi:10.21597/jist.1745262
- Authors
- Ghosh, S., Basu, S., Anbarasu, A., & Ramaiah, S.
- Affiliations
- Vellore Institute of Technology University (IN)
- Johns Hopkins University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Ramaiah, Sudha
- Venue
- Phytotherapy Research
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2024-11-04
- Volume
- 39
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 138-161
- ISSN
- 0951-418X (ISSN-L)
- 1099-1573
- OpenAlex
- W4404028303
- Cited by
- 33
- References
- 5
- Citations by year
- 2026: 17 · 2025: 16
- FWCI
- 1.22
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Phytotherapy Research (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Indian Council of Medical Research (2021‐11889)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Agricultural and Biological Sciences › Food Science › Essential Oils and Antimicrobial Activity
- Physical Sciences › Chemistry › Organic Chemistry › Antimicrobial agents and applications
- Life Sciences › Immunology and Microbiology › Microbiology › Antimicrobial Peptides and Activities
- Keywords
- antimicrobial resistance, phytochemicals, antibacterial agents, bacterial membrane disruption, multidrug-resistant bacteria, nosocomial infections, polyphenols, quorum sensing inhibition, reactive oxygen species, bacterial adhesion, enzyme inhibition, plant-derived antimicrobials
- MeSH terms
- Anti-Bacterial Agents, Bacteria, Bacterial Infections, Humans, Quorum Sensing, Phytochemicals
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