Rational approaches in combating antibiotic resistance

Antimicrobial resistance, a natural process in which microorganisms evolve in such a way that they resist the action of medications, has unfortunately increased in correlation with the advent of the antibiotic era. Bacterial pathogens have been a significant contributor to disease and mortality throughout human history. To combat this, finding adjuvants that boost the activity of existing AB may lead to an increase in the antibiotic spectrum, broaden its effectiveness against resistant bacteria, and reduce the dose necessary for antibiotics. The current level of investment in their development, particularly in the fields of natural-product-derived and synthetic small molecules, is in stark contrast to the ever-increasing demand for novel antimicrobials to treat life-threatening infections brought on by the global spread of multidrug-resistant bacterial pathogens.