Marah Alburqan

Background: The genus Satureja L. (savory) includes approximately 200 aromatic herb and shrub species distributed worldwide. These plants are widely used in traditional and modern medicine, culinary practices, and agriculture. This review summarises knowledge on the traditional uses, phytochemistry, and pharmacological activities of Satureja species published between March 2014 and 2025. Methods: Peer-reviewed literature was searched on Web of Knowledge, PubMed, Scopus, and SciFinder using the keywords “Satureja” and “savory.” A total of 171 relevant articles were analyzed, focusing on ethnomedicinal use, chemical constituents, and pharmacological effects. Results: Recent ethnobotanical studies documented the use of local medicinal plants, including Satureja, in several European regions. Phytochemical research identified major groups of compounds such as essential oils, flavonoids, phenolic acids, jasmonates, di- and triterpenes, and steroids. Essential oils are the most studied and show high variability among species due to environmental and genetic factors. Pharmacological research largely highlights antimicrobial, antioxidant, and antitumor activities, as well as protective effects against chemotherapy-induced side effects. Additional studies report neurological benefits, including prevention of opioid analgesic tolerance, antiepileptic activity, and memory-enhancing effects. Satureja species have been the subject of various innovative developments aimed at preserving food quality, improving coating materials in the food industry, and developing new environmentally friendly biopesticides. Conclusions: Future research should prioritize the study of individual bioactive compounds, their mechanisms of action, and structure–activity relationships. Advances in nanoformulations and modern extraction technologies offer promising directions to support the medicinal and food-industry applications of Satureja-derived products.

The global rise in bacterial resistance to existing antibiotics has led to increased mortality rates and escalating healthcare costs, underscoring the urgent need for new classes of antibacterial agents that can act synergistically with current antimicrobials. This study aimed to isolate bioactive compounds from Satureja hortensis L. (Lamiaceae) and evaluate their effects in combination with ciprofloxacin (CIP), ampicillin (AMP), gentamicin (GEN), and tetracycline (TET). The adjuvant potential of naringenin (N), 5,6-dihydroxy-7,3',4'-trimethoxyflavone (TMF), cilicione-a (Cil), rosmarinic acid (Rs), rosmarinic acid methyl ester (MRs), and fulgidic acid was evaluated by determining the minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of selected antibiotics in presence of sub-inhibitory concentrations of these compounds. The assays were performed against ten bacterial strains using the twofold broth microdilution method. Test samples were prepared in 96-well microtiter plates, incubated at 37 °C for 18 h, and dimethyl sulfoxide was used as the solvent control. N, Rs, and MRs reduced the MIC value of GEN from 0.78 µM to 0.097 µM against the drug-resistant Escherichia coli AG100 strain. Additionally, the combinations of N and MRs with CIP reduced its MIC from 3.125 µM to 0.39 µM against Klebsiella pneumoniae. A MIC reduction (from 50 µM to 12.5 µM) was observed against the methicillin- and oxacillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus strain when N, Cil, Rs, and MRs were combined with AMP. The MIC changed from 0.125 µM to 0.03125 µM against Bacillus subtilis when N and TMF were combined with GEN. These findings highlight the potential of such combinations to enhance antibiotic efficacy, lower the required dosages, and contribute to mitigating the emergence of antimicrobial resistance.