Quorum sensing inhibitory agents: Recent approaches toward the new antimicrobial agents from natural sources

Abstract

The abuses of antibiotics in antimicrobial therapy have led to the development of widespread resistance in the target organisms. The failure of existing antibiotics to control infection makes it crucial to find alternatives to currently available drugs. Their association with infectious diseases and their inherent ability to increase antibiotic resistance in bacteria have led to a groundswell of research focusing on new methods to control them. The pathogenicity in many bacteria is regulated by Quorum sensing (QS). The inhibition of the QS system may cause the attenuation of virulence and protect against bacterial infections. Bacteria rely on chemical communication or QS to coordinate activities necessary for their survival in groups by some processes. Their dependence on QS has made those signaling systems within bacteria an attractive target for the design of new therapeutic agents. Compounds that can disrupt these processes are termed QS inhibitors. The QS is the key regulator of virulence in various bacteria. Various plants showed their effects on bacterial virulence factors. Various plant extracts caused the inhibition of QS genes and QS-controlled factors and their effects on bacterial growth. The quorum-quenching mechanisms are unrelated to static or cidal effects on bacteria. In fact, an anti-QS approach has already shown promise in the battle against bacterial infections. Thereby making the bacteria more susceptible to traditional antibiotics, these QSIs may provide the newest weapon in the therapeutic armory against infections involving drug-resistant bacterial strains. These QSIs can come from a variety of sources and have a wide array of structures.