availability of new antibiotics, bacterial resistance occurs at an increasingly rapid
rate in the different Gram positive and Gram and represents a major therapeutic
challenge (Hayes et al. 2020). In recent decades the focus given to the control of
bacterial infections, may have contributed to the emergence of bacteria multi-drug
resistant, mainly methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus, Penicillin, and erythromycinresistant Pneumumococcus, Enterococcus resistant to vancomycin and also
Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae resistant to b-lactams and
carbapenens (Ventola 2015).
Considering the increase of multi-resistant bacteria due to the use of antimicrobial agents, The World Health Organization (WHO) has recognized the
importance of the potential therapeutic power of plants, and that the associated use
of medicinal plants and/or their by-products with antimicrobial drugs can inhibit or
intensify the therapeutic effect of conventional medicines. In this context, we can
observe some advancements with the products from some species (Table 7.1),
which are already used in the medical clinical routine as antibacterial herbal
medicines.
7.4 Synergisms of Phytochemicals and Conventional
Antimicrobial Drugs
Research into natural products with modulating properties has been widely disseminated. Many of these plant products have considerable synergistic effects,
positively altering the effect of antibiotics and providing an important alternative to
combat increased microbial resistance. The synergistic effects that are usually
obtained by associating natural products with antibiotics are related to the increase
in the influx of the drug, which alters the permeability of the cell membrane,
favoring the penetration of antibiotics and potentiating their effect. Thus, studies on
the association of natural products and synthetic drugs are still promising in an
attempt to discover new chemical classes with antibiotic potential (Cheesman et al.
2017; Khameneh et al. 2019).
Increasing microbial resistance to existing drugs is a problem that is a serious
health issue, and therefore there is a pressing need to look for new classes of
antibacterial substances, especially from natural sources. A therapeutic alternative
for the treatment of micro-organisms resistant to antibiotics is the use of plant
extracts. There are many advantages in using antimicrobial compounds from
medicinal plants, as fewer side effects, better patient tolerance, more economical,
better acceptance due to long history of use, and being renewable because it is
available in nature (Parekh and Chanda 2007). Unlike synthetic drugs, antimicrobials of plant origin are not associated with side effects and have a large therapeutic
potential for many infectious diseases (Chanda et al. 2010; Habbal et al. 2011).
Numerous studies have proven the antimicrobial activity in vitro plant. However,
the problem of drug resistance continues to grow. Thus, the need of the moment is
270
L. E. da Silva et al.
rate in the different Gram positive and Gram and represents a major therapeutic
challenge (Hayes et al. 2020). In recent decades the focus given to the control of
bacterial infections, may have contributed to the emergence of bacteria multi-drug
resistant, mainly methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus, Penicillin, and erythromycinresistant Pneumumococcus, Enterococcus resistant to vancomycin and also
Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae resistant to b-lactams and
carbapenens (Ventola 2015).
Considering the increase of multi-resistant bacteria due to the use of antimicrobial agents, The World Health Organization (WHO) has recognized the
importance of the potential therapeutic power of plants, and that the associated use
of medicinal plants and/or their by-products with antimicrobial drugs can inhibit or
intensify the therapeutic effect of conventional medicines. In this context, we can
observe some advancements with the products from some species (Table 7.1),
which are already used in the medical clinical routine as antibacterial herbal
medicines.
7.4 Synergisms of Phytochemicals and Conventional
Antimicrobial Drugs
Research into natural products with modulating properties has been widely disseminated. Many of these plant products have considerable synergistic effects,
positively altering the effect of antibiotics and providing an important alternative to
combat increased microbial resistance. The synergistic effects that are usually
obtained by associating natural products with antibiotics are related to the increase
in the influx of the drug, which alters the permeability of the cell membrane,
favoring the penetration of antibiotics and potentiating their effect. Thus, studies on
the association of natural products and synthetic drugs are still promising in an
attempt to discover new chemical classes with antibiotic potential (Cheesman et al.
2017; Khameneh et al. 2019).
Increasing microbial resistance to existing drugs is a problem that is a serious
health issue, and therefore there is a pressing need to look for new classes of
antibacterial substances, especially from natural sources. A therapeutic alternative
for the treatment of micro-organisms resistant to antibiotics is the use of plant
extracts. There are many advantages in using antimicrobial compounds from
medicinal plants, as fewer side effects, better patient tolerance, more economical,
better acceptance due to long history of use, and being renewable because it is
available in nature (Parekh and Chanda 2007). Unlike synthetic drugs, antimicrobials of plant origin are not associated with side effects and have a large therapeutic
potential for many infectious diseases (Chanda et al. 2010; Habbal et al. 2011).
Numerous studies have proven the antimicrobial activity in vitro plant. However,
the problem of drug resistance continues to grow. Thus, the need of the moment is
270
L. E. da Silva et al.