Natural Bioactive Compounds from Medicinal Plants as Antibacterial Drugs: Mechanism Insights and Clinical Perspectives

The coevolution in microbes has generated major functional consequences leading bacteria to develop resistance to antibiotics. Indeed, bacterial strains have been able to develop and adapt to the action of antibiotics via several resistance mechanisms. In this context, researchers are currently conducting many studies to screen natural antibacterial substances such as secondary metabolites of medicinal plants. Indeed, the potential of many plants used in traditional medicine in the treatment of infectious diseases was confirmed experimentally, namely Anethum graveolens, Elettaria cardamomum, Foeniculum vulgare, Trachyspermum ammi, Viola odorata, Dioscorea dregeana, Cheilanthes viridis, Vernonia colorata, etc. Bioactive molecules from different medicinal plants include terpenoids, flavonoids, and phenolic acids, which were shown to have significant anti- bacterial effects. The mechanisms of action of these molecules are different and can include structural, cellular, and molecular levels, which suggests them as real candidates for the development of natural antibiotics. However, the clinical trials of these molecules have not been very well studied which limits their clinical use against infectious diseases of bacterial origin.