Phytochemicals as chemotherapeutic agents and antioxidants: Possible solution to the control of antibiotic resistant verocytotoxin producing bacteria

Abstract

The interest in plants with antimicrobial properties has been revived due to current problems associated with the use of antibiotics with the increased prevalence of multidrug resistant (MDR) bacterial strains. Some emerging species of bacteria such as Escherichia coli 0517: H7 and Acinetobacterspecies that are verocytotoxin producers present further chemotherapeutic challenges because of the increased level of toxin production in medium when challenged with antibiotics. The abundant medicinal plant resources and their antioxidant properties and possibly undiscovered novel modes of action can be a solution to the control of multidrug resistant verocytotoxic bacteria.   Key words: Antimicrobial, multi-drug resistance, chemotherapy.