Kong Amanda Shen-Yee, Lim Swee-Hua Erin, Cheng Wan-Hee, Yuswan Mohd Hafis, Tan Ngai-Paing, Lai Kok-Song
School of Pharmacy, Monash University Malaysia, Subang Jaya, Malaysia.
Health Sciences Division, Abu Dhabi Women's College, Higher Colleges of Technology, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
Pol J Microbiol. 2025 Mar 7;74(1):1-18. doi: 10.33073/pjm-2025-010. eCollection 2025 Mar 1.
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses a formidable challenge in global healthcare, driving the exploration of natural products for novel antimicrobials. Among these, essential oils (EOs) derived from medicinal plants are rich sources of diverse bioactive compounds. Monoterpenes and monoterpenoids, critical constituents of EOs, have emerged as promising agents in combating multidrugresistant (MDR) pathogens. This review analyzed recent literature on the efficacy of monoterpenes against AMR, highlighting their broad-spectrum activity and potential as alternative therapeutic options for MDR infections. Mechanistic insights reveal their ability to disrupt cell membranes, inhibit biofilm formation, and modulate gene expression linked to virulence and resistance, thereby reducing microbial viability through alterations in membrane potential, enzymatic activity, and genetic regulation. Synergistic interactions between monoterpenes and conventional antibiotics are also elucidated. Innovative approaches in monoterpene research are explored, although challenges such as resistance, limited solubility, volatility, and potential toxicity are acknowledged, emphasizing the need for advanced formulation strategies and interdisciplinary research. The synergy observed with conventional antibiotics, coupled with their ability to target specific microbial resistance mechanisms, underscores the potential of monoterpenes in combating antibioticresistant infections. Future investigations should prioritize optimizing monoterpenes' therapeutic properties and assessing their safety profiles to fully exploit their potential in addressing AMR.
抗生素耐药性（AMR）在全球医疗保健领域构成了巨大挑战，促使人们探索天然产物以寻找新型抗菌药物。其中，来自药用植物的精油（EOs）是多种生物活性化合物的丰富来源。单萜和单萜类化合物作为EOs的关键成分，已成为对抗多重耐药（MDR）病原体的有前景的药物。本综述分析了近期关于单萜对AMR疗效的文献，强调了它们的广谱活性以及作为MDR感染替代治疗选择的潜力。机理研究表明，它们能够破坏细胞膜、抑制生物膜形成，并调节与毒力和耐药性相关的基因表达，从而通过改变膜电位、酶活性和基因调控来降低微生物活力。还阐明了单萜与传统抗生素之间的协同相互作用。探索了单萜研究中的创新方法，尽管认识到存在耐药性、溶解度有限、挥发性和潜在毒性等挑战，但强调需要先进的制剂策略和跨学科研究。与传统抗生素观察到的协同作用，以及它们针对特定微生物耐药机制的能力，凸显了单萜在对抗抗生素耐药感染方面的潜力。未来的研究应优先优化单萜的治疗特性并评估其安全性，以充分发挥它们在应对AMR方面的潜力。
