REVIEW article
Front. Pharmacol.
Sec. Pharmacology of Infectious Diseases
This article is part of the Research TopicPolyphenolic Compounds in Combatting MDR Pathogens: Current Research and Future DirectionsView all articles
Polyphenolic Compounds in Glycyrrhiza spp.: A Potential Weapon Against Multidrug-Resistant Pathogens
Provisionally accepted
Muhammad Rafiq1*
Zhaoqi Xie1
Shahida Hameed2
Haijing Xiao1
Yiqing Luo1Kai Chen1
Jiaxin Yang1
Lei Hu1Min Guo1
Chunsong Cheng1- 1Lushan Botanical Garden (CAS), Jiujiang, China
- 2Anhui University, Hefei, China
Select one of your emails
You have multiple emails registered with Frontiers:
Notify me on publication
Please enter your email address:
If you already have an account, please login
You don't have a Frontiers account ? You can register here
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a rapidly escalating global health crisis, projected to cause 10 million deaths annually by 2050 without effective intervention. Conventional antibiotics are increasingly compromised by multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens that deploy mechanisms such as efflux pumps, membrane impermeability, target modification, and biofilm formation. Polyphenolic compounds from Glycyrrhiza spp. (licorice) represent a promising, multi-target strategy to counter these threats. This review critically examines the antimicrobial potential of licorice-derived flavonoids, chalcones, coumarins, and glycosides, focusing on their ability to inhibit efflux pumps, disrupt bacterial membranes, prevent biofilm formation, modulate quorum sensing, and synergize with conventional antibiotics. We integrate mechanistic insights with safety, pharmacokinetic, and formulation considerations, highlighting both therapeutic potential and translational challenges. Evidence indicates that licorice polyphenols can restore antibiotic efficacy against MDR bacteria, reduce the likelihood of resistance development, and be incorporated into topical agents or antimicrobial materials. However, limitations in bioavailability, dose-dependent toxicity, and a paucity of clinical trials underscore the need for targeted delivery systems and rigorous in vivo validation. By framing licorice polyphenols as risk-mitigating agents, this review positions them as viable candidates for next-generation adjunctive therapies and preventive strategies in the fight against AMR. In particular, their role against high-priority ESKAPEE pathogens and their inherent antioxidant properties further enhance their therapeutic value. This review therefore not only synthesizes current knowledge but also outlines future directions for translating licorice-derived polyphenols into clinical and industrial applications.
Keywords: adjuvants, AMR, Biofilms, Chalcones, Flavonoids, Glycyrrhiza, MDR bacteria, Polyphenols
Received: 15 Aug 2025; Accepted: 22 Jan 2026.
Copyright: © 2026 Rafiq, Xie, Hameed, Xiao, Luo, Chen, Yang, Hu, Guo and Cheng. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Muhammad Rafiq
Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.