Tóm tắt
Vitex negundo L., a medicinal plant of the family Lamiaceae, is widely distributed across tropical and subtropical Asia and Africa. Its essential oil and phenolic-rich extracts have attracted interest as natural antimicrobial and antioxidant agents amid the growing burden of antimicrobial resistance. This concise review synthesizes available evidence across four bioactivity groups: Gram-positive bacteria, Gram-negative bacteria, pathogenic fungi, and oxidative stress. The strongest antibacterial effects have generally been reported against Gram-positive bacteria, particularly Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus subtilis. Gram-negative bacteria are less susceptible because of their outer lipopolysaccharide membrane; nevertheless, activity has been documented against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Vibrio cholerae, and related enteric pathogens. Recent studies also support antifungal activity against Candida albicans. Overall, V. negundo is a promising but insufficiently standardized natural source. Future research should prioritize chemical fingerprinting, standardized MIC/MBC and MIC/MFC testing, antibiofilm assessment, cytotoxicity evaluation, and formulation-based delivery.