Abstract:

The rapid emergence of antimicrobial resistance and the declining effectiveness of conventional antibiotics have become major global health concerns. Fungal and bacterial pathogens resistant to multiple drugs continue to threaten human health, agriculture, and environmental sustainability, plant-derived bioactive compounds have attracted considerable attention as promising alternatives for the discovery and development of sustainable antimicrobial and antifungal agents. Medicinal plants produce a diverse range of secondary metabolites, including alkaloids, flavonoids, terpenoids, phenolics, tannins, saponins, glycosides, and essential oils, which exhibit significant antimicrobial activities against pathogenic microorganisms. These natural compounds act through multiple mechanisms such as disruption of microbial membranes, inhibition of protein synthesis, interference with nucleic acid replication, and suppression of virulence factors. Recent advances in phytochemistry, metabolomics, nanotechnology, and molecular biology have accelerated the identification and application of plant-based antimicrobial agents, green synthesis approaches utilizing plant extracts for nanoparticle production have opened new avenues in sustainable drug development. The present review discusses the major classes of plant-derived bioactive compounds, their mechanisms of antimicrobial action, extraction techniques, pharmaceutical applications, and recent innovations in sustainable antifungal and antimicrobial drug discovery. The review also highlights current challenges including bioavailability, toxicity, standardization, and regulatory limitations, while emphasizing future perspectives for integrating phytochemicals into modern therapeutic systems. Plant-based bioactive compounds represent an eco-friendly and promising strategy for combating antimicrobial resistance and developing safer and more sustainable pharmaceutical products.