Abstract / Summary
Abstract Background The rapid escalation of antimicrobial resistance has intensified the search for novel agents from underexplored natural sources. Central Asia, encompassing Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan, harbors a biodiversity-rich flora of over 6000 higher plant species, a large proportion of which remain phytochemically uncharacterized, alongside millennia of ethnomedicinal practice directly relevant to infection management. Methods A comprehensive literature search was conducted across PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and regional repositories using search terms that combined Central Asian country names with medicinal plants, antimicrobial activity, and major phytochemical classes. The literature was searched through June 2025, without a lower publication-year restriction, to permit the inclusion of historically important foundational studies. Studies reporting phytochemical characterization and/or antimicrobial data for plants native to, occurring in, or traditionally used in Central Asia were included and synthesized narratively. The review focused on major classes of secondary metabolites, analytical and spectroscopic approaches used for phytochemical characterization, including GC–MS, LC–MS, and NMR-based methods, and biological assays used to evaluate antibacterial and antifungal activity. Results The comparative synthesis covered 25 genera across nine plant families, with Macleaya considered separately as a non-regional comparator. The principal phytochemical groups discussed included terpenoids, phenolics, flavonoids, coumarins, alkaloids, polyacetylenes, and naphthoquinones. Reported activities extended across Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, pathogenic fungi, and multidrug-resistant organisms. Among the quantitatively characterized examples, the hydroethanolic extract of Thymus seravschanicus exhibited an MIC of 0.625 mg/mL against Helicobacter pylori . Direct comparisons of antimicrobial potency across studies were limited by differences in extraction procedures, tested materials, microbial strains, assay methods, and reporting units. Conclusion Central Asian flora constitutes an important yet underutilized source of structurally diverse antimicrobial phytochemicals. Priorities for future research include systematic screening of uncharacterized taxa, detailed mechanistic studies, synergy profiling of traditional polyherbal combinations, and pharmacokinetic validation of lead compounds. Integrating ethnobotanical knowledge with modern chemical and biological methodologies will enhance the contribution of this region’s medicinal plants to the global response to antimicrobial resistance.