Page 93 - ITPS-8-2

INNOSC Theranostics

and Pharmacological Sciences

MINI-REVIEW
Transformative natural product-drug

combinations: Advancing techniques to
enhance efficacy against drug-resistant

pathogens

Mathew Gideon *
1,2
1 Department of Environment, Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources, Kaduna, Nigeria
2 Department of Pure and Applied Chemistry, Faculty of Physical Sciences, Kaduna State University,
Kaduna, Nigeria

Abstract

This review explores the development, modification, and optimization of potent
active compounds using combinatorial synthetic methods that incorporate
phytoconstituents from plant extracts, aiming to enhance efficacy and mitigate
resistance. Attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, gas
chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and antibacterial data from the literature
were employed to validate these strategies. The methodology emphasized precise
harvesting, pre-treatment, and extraction processes to ensure the quality and efficacy
*Corresponding author: of the plant extracts. Various extraction methods and solvents were used to isolate
Mathew Gideon specific phytoconstituents, followed by further purification through chromatography.
(mathewace8@gmail.com)
The review proposes three strategies: (i) reacting single or multiple plant extracts with
Citation: Gideon M. Transformative reagents such as acids or catalysts, (ii) combining plant extracts with ineffective drugs
natural product-drug combinations:
Advancing techniques to enhance to induce structural changes that enhance antibacterial efficacy, and (iii) integrating
efficacy against drug-resistant plant extracts with drugs not originally intended for the target disease to explore new
pathogens. INNOSC Theranostics structural functionalities. Significant findings include synergistic effects observed
and Pharmacological Sciences.
2025;8(2):87-95. when Psidium guajava and Calotropis procera extracts were combined with antibiotics,
doi: 10.36922/itps.4068 leading to substantially increased zones of inhibition against resistant bacteria. GC-MS
Received: June 28, 2024 analysis identified numerous bioactive compounds, some of which with known
anticancer properties, suggesting potential applications beyond antibacterial effects.
Revised: December 16, 2024 These innovative combinatorial approaches demonstrate the potential to yield new
Accepted: January 3, 2025 compounds with enhanced pharmacological properties, highlighting the critical role
Published online: January 17, of plant extracts in drug discovery and development. This review underscores the
2025 promise of harnessing natural products to combat multi-drug resistance, paving the
way for advanced research and development in pharmaceutical applications.
Copyright: © 2025 Author(s).
This is an Open-Access article
distributed under the terms of the
Creative Commons Attribution Keywords: Combinatorial synthetic methods; Phytoconstituents; Drug resistance; Plant
License, permitting distribution, extracts; Antimicrobial activity; Synergistic effects; Drug discovery and development
and reproduction in any medium,
provided the original work is
properly cited.
Publisher’s Note: AccScience 1. Introduction
Publishing remains neutral with
regard to jurisdictional claims in Drug resistance represents a pressing global challenge that impacts clinical, community,
published maps and institutional
affiliations and environmental health, as well as food security and development. The emergence

Volume 8 Issue 2 (2025) 87 doi: 10.36922/itps.4068