Abstract: The overuse of antibiotics and resulting multi-drug resistance of bacteria have seriously jeopardized human health and the development of the food industry. There are many difficulties in the development of new antibiotics, although fortunately there are abundant resources of plant-derived natural products as antibacterial adjuvants, which can be used to inhibit bacteria in combination with antibiotics, thereby effectively reducing the dosage of antibiotics and alleviating the impact on the environment and society. In this paper, the antibacterial effects and mechanisms of plant-derived natural products alone and in combination with antibiotics as well as their application in the food industry are reviewed, which will provide reference for the development of new antibiotic adjuvants to reduce the abuse of antibiotics.

Key words: antibiotic adjuvants; plant-derived natural products; antibiotics; combined antibacterial effects