Research Progress on the Synergistic Antibacterial Effects of Plant Extracts and Antibiotics
Vol. 28 (2026): 2026 2nd International Conference on Agricultural Sciences, Economics, Biomedical and Environmental Sciences (SEMBE 2026)
Received: 2026-07-18
Accepted: 2026-07-18
Published: 2026-07-18
Abstract
The rapid emergence and global dissemination of multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria have rendered many conventional antibiotics increasingly ineffective, precipitating an unprecedented global public health crisis that threatens decades of medical advancement. As the traditional pipeline for novel antibiotic discovery stagnates due to scientific and economic hurdles, "combination therapy" has emerged as a highly critical and pragmatic strategy to extend the clinical lifespan of existing antimicrobial drugs. Plant extracts, which are uniquely characterized by their immense structural diversity, low inherent toxicity, and complex multi-target mechanisms of action, have shown significant potential as potent antibiotic potentiators. This comprehensive review elucidates the fundamental theoretical basis for the synergistic antibacterial effects observed when plant extracts are combined with standard antibiotics. We systematically analyze current global research trends, identify the key physicochemical and biological factors influencing synergistic efficacy, and detail the underlying molecular mechanisms driving these interactions. These mechanisms prominently include bacterial cell membrane disruption, the competitive inhibition of multidrug efflux pumps, the suppression of biofilm formation, and the modulation of bacterial quorum sensing pathways. Furthermore, the review critically explores the promising translational applications of these synergistic combinations across diverse fields, including clinical pharmaceuticals, agricultural food preservation, and veterinary medicine. Ultimately, the synthesized findings strongly suggest that plant-antibiotic combinations offer a highly viable, sustainable, and cost-effective pathway to significantly reduce required antibiotic dosages, minimize adverse drug toxicity, and successfully reverse the alarming trajectory of bacterial resistance.
Keywords
References
[1] W. Yang, J. Li, Z. Yao, and M. Li, "A review on the alternatives to antibiotics and the treatment of antibiotic pollution: Current development and future prospects," Science of The Total Environment, vol. 926, p. 171757, 2024.
[2] A. M. Awad, P. Kumar, M. R. Ismail-Fitry, S. Jusoh, M. F. Ab Aziz, and A. Q. Sazili, "Overview of plant extracts as natural preservatives in meat," Journal of Food Processing and Preservation, vol. 46, no. 8, p. e16796, 2022.
[3] M. Alam, N. Bano, T. Ahmad, A. B. Sharangi, T. K. Upadhyay, Y. Alraey, and M. Saeed, "Synergistic role of plant extracts and essential oils against multidrug resistance and gram-negative bacterial strains producing extended-spectrum β-lactamases," Antibiotics, vol. 11, no. 7, p. 855, 2022.
[4] N. H. Kamaruzaman, N. N. M. Noor, R. M. S. R. Mohamed, A. Al-Gheethi, S. K. Ponnusamy, A. Sharma, and D. V. N. Vo, "Applicability of bio-synthesized nanoparticles in fungal secondary metabolites products and plant extracts for eliminating antibiotic-resistant bacteria risks in non-clinical environments," Environmental Research, vol. 209, p. 112831, 2022.
[5] E. M. Abdallah, B. Y. Alhatlani, R. de Paula Menezes, and C. H. G. Martins, "Back to nature: Medicinal plants as promising sources for antibacterial drugs in the post-antibiotic era," Plants, vol. 12, no. 17, p. 3077, 2023.
[6] S. Atta, D. Waseem, H. Fatima, I. Naz, F. Rasheed, and N. Kanwal, "Antibacterial potential and synergistic interaction between natural polyphenolic extracts and synthetic antibiotic on clinical isolates," Saudi Journal of Biological Sciences, vol. 30, no. 3, p. 103576, 2023.
[7] M. Ihsan, I. U. Din, K. Alam, I. Munir, H. I. Mohamed, and F. Khan, "Green fabrication, characterization of zinc oxide nanoparticles using plant extract of Momordica charantia and Curcuma zedoaria and their antibacterial and antioxidant activities," Applied Biochemistry and Biotechnology, vol. 195, no. 6, pp. 3546–3565, 2023.
[8] P. A. Akinduti, V. Emoh-Robinson, H. F. Obamoh-Triumphant, Y. D. Obafemi, and T. T. Banjo, "Antibacterial activities of plant leaf extracts against multi-antibiotic resistant Staphylococcus aureus associated with skin and soft tissue infections," BMC Complementary Medicine and Therapies, vol. 22, no. 1, p. 47, 2022.
[9] M. T. Ahmed, M. Srivastava, and M. N. Alam, "Herbal nanoparticles as promising antibiotics for combating multi drug resistance bacterial infection," unpublished.
[10] A. M. Tache, L. D. Dinu, and E. Vamanu, "Novel insights on plant extracts to prevent and treat recurrent urinary tract infections," Applied Sciences, vol. 12, no. 5, p. 2635, 2022.
[11] D. M. Silva, P. A. Costa, A. O. Ribon, G. A. Purgato, D. M. Gaspar, and M. A. Diaz, "Plant extracts display synergism with different classes of antibiotics," Anais da Academia Brasileira de Ciências, vol. 91, p. e20180117, 2019.
[12] M. J. Cheesman, A. Ilanko, B. Blonk, and I. E. Cock, "Developing new antimicrobial therapies: are synergistic combinations of plant extracts/compounds with conventional antibiotics the solution?," Pharmacognosy Reviews, vol. 11, no. 22, p. 57, 2017.
Copyright and License
Published in2026-07-18 16:00:05
DOI https://doi.org/10.70088/rq32t953
Creative Commons
Copyright: © 2026 by the authors.
Submitted for possible open access
publication under the terms and
conditions of the Creative Commons
Attribution (CC BY) license
(https://creativecommons.org/license
s/by/4.0/).
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2026. Published by SEMBE 2026
Journal Information
- Vol. 28 (2026): 2026 2nd International Conference on Agricultural Sciences, Economics, Biomedical and Environmental Sciences (SEMBE 2026)
- 2026-07-18
- ISSN: (Print) 3078-770X/ (Online) 3078-7718
- Journal Homepage