PRINCIPAIS MECANISMOS DE AÇÃO ANTIBACTERIANA DE PRODUTOS NATURAIS CONTRA Staphylococcus aureus

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.22533/at.ed.619122502017

• Palavras-chave: Resistência bacteriana; Compostos bioativos; Mecanismos de ação; Terapias alternativas; Saúde pública.

• Keywords: Bacterial resistance; Bioactive compounds; Mechanisms of action; Alternative therapies; Public health.

• Abstract: Infections caused by resistant bacteria continue to be a global concern, as they are associated with high rates of morbidity and mortality. Among the various bacterial species, the emergence and spread of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus represents a serious threat to public health. The discovery of resistance of S. aureus to commonly used antibiotics and the presence of mobile genetic elements involved in the transmission of multiple antibiotic resistance genes are complicating factors for the treatment of these infections. Therefore, there is a need to develop new therapeutic alternatives. In this scenario, medicinal plants are one of the largest sources of bioactive molecules for antibacterial purposes. One of the main advantages of studying molecules of plant origin is the reduced number of possible toxic effects caused and the fact that they present activity, even against strains resistant to conventional antimicrobials. Therefore, the objective of this study was to conduct a review of the main mechanisms of antibacterial action of natural products involved in the inhibition of S. aureus. For this, an integrative literature review was performed. Articles published in English in the Scientific Direct and PubMed databases between January 2020 and July 2024 were selected. The following descriptors were used: “natural products”, “Staphylococcus aureus”, “antimicrobial” and “mechanism of action”. After using the inclusion and non-inclusion criteria, the articles were selected. In in silico studies, the main targets related to the antibacterial action of natural products (usnic acid, eugenol, limonene, abietic acid, etc.) were penicillin-binding protein 2a and efflux pumps, especially the NorA pump. In in vitro studies, natural products (myrtenol, estragole, apigenin, rutin, quercetin, etc.) showed strong antibacterial action against efflux pumps, DNA gyrase, biofilms, cell wall and membrane of S. aureus. It was found that compounds of natural origin present promising antibacterial activity against different targets in S. aureus, and are therefore capable of inhibiting virulence factors and/or elements essential for its survival. Thus, these results can contribute significantly to the development of complementary therapies aimed at addressing the growing antimicrobial resistance.