Antimicrobial and antibiofilm properties of Allium vegetables: A systematic review

Infections caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria pose a significant threat to global health, a threat exacerbated by biofilm formation, which contributes to antibiotic resistance. Therefore, research into developing safe anti-biofilm strategies without toxic effects has gained momentum in recent years. This systematic review analyses studies evaluating the antimicrobial and antibiofilm effects of Allium vegetables. The analysis reveals that Allium vegetables exhibit strong antifungal, antibacterial, and antibiofilm activities against multidrug-resistant microorganisms from both clinical and food sources. They have proven particularly effective against multidrug-resistant bacteria. The superior antimicrobial activity of these vegetables, compared with conventional agents such as chlorhexidine and fluconazole, is attributed to their phenolic compounds, sulfur compounds, and essential oils. The effectiveness of these compounds varies with genetic traits, agronomic factors, and extraction methods. Allium vegetables exhibit unique antibacterial activity against pathogenic bacteria in both planktonic and biofilm forms, without causing toxicity in vitro or in vivo, indicating their potential as prophylactic or therapeutic agents for biofilm-associated infections. Additionally, their success against antibiotic-resistant microorganisms in food suggests their use as natural antimicrobial agents in food processing. Given the growing threat of antibiotic resistance and the global burden of bacterial infections, Allium vegetables show promise for both the pharmaceutical and food industries.