Current Challenges and Perspectives for the Use of Aqueous Plant Extracts in the Management of Bacterial Infections: The Case-Study of Salmonella enterica Serovars

Worldwide, foodborne diseases are a growing public health problem. Among the infectious bacteria, non-typhoidal Salmonella enterica serovars (NTS) are the major cause of hospitalization and death, and the emergence and spread of their antibiotic-resistance is becoming a worldwide health issue. This, coupled with the restrictions of antibiotics use in agriculture and animal production, calls for alternative approaches to solve this problem. Plant-derived aqueous extracts compounds could provide novel straightforward approaches to control pathogenic bacteria. This review discusses the antimicrobial activity of aqueous plant extracts against Salmonella serovars, the possible mechanisms of action involved, which components/structures might be responsible for such activity, and the current challenges for the use of these extracts/components in Salmonella infection management and their application perspectives.