Synergy between novel antimicrobials and conventional antibiotics or bacteriocins

Due to the alarming spread of resistance to classic antimicrobial agents, innovative therapeutic methods to combat antibiotic-resistant bacterial pathogens are urgently required. This minireview examines the enhancement of antibiotic efficacy by their combination with new antimicrobials, such as plant-derived compounds, metal ions and nanoparticles and bacteriophage lytic enzymes. The mechanisms of the observed synergy are also described. The promising results of basic research indicate that in future, combined therapy may be applied in human and veterinary medicine, agriculture and the food industry to combat bacterial pathogens.