Antibacterial Activities of Meldrum's Acid Derivatives: In Vitro and Molecular Docking Studies

Abstract

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is an escalating global health threat driven by the widespread emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacterial strains. This crisis is undermining the effectiveness of many conventional antibiotics and complicating the treatment of infectious diseases. According to Murray et al. (2022), AMR accounted for approximately 1.27 million deaths worldwide in 2019, a figure expected to rise if no effective interventions are taken. The growing resistance not only impacts clinical outcomes but also increases healthcare costs and the risk of outbreaks. In Malaysia, the government has launched the Malaysian Action Plan on Antimicrobial Resistance (MyAP-AMR) to address this concern by promoting awareness, rational antibiotic use, and the discovery of novel antibacterial agents (Morris et al., 2021). Among the potential candidates for drug development are Meldrum's acid derivatives, a class of compounds known for their synthetic flexibility and promising biological activities.