Phytoconstituents with antimicrobial activity against food poisoning microbes: mechanism and screening approaches

Priya Singh, Neelottama Kushwaha*, Swatantra Kumar Singh Kushwaha

Krishna Institute of Pharmacy and Sciences, Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India

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Priya Singh, Neelottama Kushwaha, Swatantra Kumar Singh Kushwaha, 2026. Phytoconstituents with antimicrobial activity against food poisoning microbes: mechanism and screening approaches. Journal of medical pharmaceutical and allied sciences, V 15 - I 1, Pages - 40 – 45. Doi: https://doi.org/10.55522/jmpas.V15I1.6991.

ABSTRACT

Food poisoning driven on by pathogenic microorganisms continues to be a major global public health concern, resulting in high rates of morbidity and financial costs. The hunt for substitute antimicrobial agents has accelerated due to the growing incidence of antimicrobial resistance and safety issues with synthetic preservatives. Because of their multi-target modes of action, natural origin, and broad-spectrum activity, plant-derived antimicrobials have drawn a lot of research. Antimicrobial screening methods against bacteria that cause food poisoning are summarized in this study, with a focus on plant sources and their incorporation into the drug discovery process. Salmonella species, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, Bacillus cereus, and other common foodborne pathogens are discussed as the main targets for antimicrobial screening. The relevance of several in vitro antimicrobial screening techniques in early-stage evaluation is emphasized, including agar diffusion, broth dilution, time-kill kinetics, and anti-biofilm assays. The review also examines the bioactive phytochemicals found in medical plants and culinary herbs that have antimicrobial properties, as well as the underlying mechanisms of action, such as membrane rupture, enzyme inhibition, interference with nucleic acid production, and suppression of virulence factors.

Keywords:

Food poisoning, Phytoconstituents, Plant-derived antimicrobial activity, Drug discovery, Antimicrobial resistance.

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