Antibacterial effects of Thymus vulgaris, Mentha pulegium, Crocus sativus and Salvia officinalis on pathogenic bacteria: A brief review study based on gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria

 In recent years, with the increase in resistance due to the indiscriminate use of synthetic antibiotics, it seems necessary to find alternative drugs that have both antibacterial properties and have the least side effects for humans. The purpose of this study is to review the antibacterial properties of some medicinal plants.

In this review study, the content related to the antibacterial properties of Thymus vulgaris, Mentha pulegium, Crocus sativus, and Salvia officinalis were studied within Magiran, SID, PubMed, MEDLINE, Science Direct, Cochrane Library, Google Scholar, EMBASE, and Scopus databases from 1981 to 2019. Previously published specialized articles and systematic meta-analysis were used as a supplementary source for identifying relevant articles.  Finally, data from 46 articles were pooled and analyzed.

Extracts and essential oils of Thymus vulgaris, Mentha pulegium, Crocus sativus, and Salvia officinalis had a good antibacterial properties against a variety of pathogenic bacteria and their infections.

According to the results of this study, the studied plants can be considered as a suitable option for treating infections caused by pathogenic bacteria and helping to Return the sensitivity of antibiotics in these bacteria, and this requires more comprehensive research on medicinal plants.