The emergence of the antimicrobial resistance phenomena on and the harmful consequences of the use of antibiotics motivate the necessity of innovative antimicrobial therapies, while natural substances are considered a promising alternative. Rosmarin is an original plant compound listed among the hydroxycinnamic acids. This substance has been widely used to fight microbial pathology and chronic infections from microorganisms like bacteria, fungi and viruses. Also, various derivatives of rosmarinic acid, such as the propyl ester of rosmarinic acid, rosmarinic acid methyl ester or the hexyl ester of rosmarinic acid, have been synthesized chemically, which have been isolated as natural antimicrobial agents. Rosmarinic acid and its derivatives were combined with antibiotics to obtain a synergistic effect. This review reports on the antimicrobial effects of rosmarinic acid and its associated derivatives, both in their free form and in combination with other microbial pathogens, and mechanisms of action.
Keywords: antibiofilm; antimicrobial resistance; rosmarinic acid; synergistic effect.