A Systematic Review Study on the Effectiveness of Medicinal Plants Against Acinetobacter baumannii

Introduction: Acinetobacter baumannii is an opportunistic bacterium capable of causing nosocomial infections resistant to a wide range of antibiotics. Herbal medicines could become the source of novel therapies for antibiotic-resistant bacteria. This review paper aimed to survey the effectiveness of medicinal plants in treating infections caused by A. baumannii. Methods: The relevant data was obtained by systematically searching PubMed, ISI Web of Science, Scopus, Science Direct, and Google Scholar databases with the specific keywords of medicinal plants (including extracts and essential oils) and bacterial infections (including A. baumannii). Results: The present review identified 23 studies published between 2009 and 2021 that discussed the effectiveness of medicinal plants in inhibiting the growth of A. baumannii. In these studies, 28 medicinal plants were found effective against infection caused by A. baumannii in vivo. Conclusion: The results of this review indicated that to develop a therapeutic strategy for treating bacterial infections, especially A. baumannii, based on medicinal plants, extensive studies were required to determine their cytotoxicity and therapeutic dosage before they could be used as an alternative to antibiotics.