Alkaloids: An Emerging Antibacterial Modality Against Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus

Abstract

Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a Gram-positive bacterium which causes community and hospital-acquired infections. Synthetic drug/antibiotic treatment for MRSA-related infections is becoming less effective and natural products may be an emerging new alternative for future antibacterial drug development. Alkaloids are a class of natural compounds which are known for their phytochemistry and pharmacology. This review focuses on 32 alkaloids isolated from various plants that showed marked antibacterial activity against MRSA by acting through different mechanisms such as inhibition of pyruvate kinase, Quorum quenching effect, alteration in efflux pump in MRSA and intercalating of bacterial DNA, to name just a few. In addition, the use of recent plant alkaloids against clinical isolates of MRSA has also been discussed.