Recent advance on the antibacterial activity of polysaccharide-based conjugates

Polysaccharide has attracted global attention because of its potential application as an alternative to antibiotics to alleviate antibiotic resistance and drug residue caused by antibiotic abuse, but its relatively low antibacterial activity and narrow antibacterial spectrum cannot meet the needs of daily life and clinical treatment. Apart from chemical, physical, and biological modifications, conjugation with other bioactive compounds via covalent or non-covalent interactions can not only improve the antibacterial activity and reduce the bacterial resistance of polysaccharide-based conjugates, but also expand the antibacterial spectrum and reduce the cytotoxicity of polysaccharide-based conjugates. Then, a systematic and up-to-date overview of the conjugation strategies aimed at enhancing the antibacterial activity of polysaccharides will guide the future development of polysaccharide conjugates with enhanced antibacterial properties. Therefore, in this study, the conjugation of polysaccharides with protein, polyphenol, essential oil, organic acid, polyvinyl, antibiotic, and other bioactive compounds was investigated to improve the antibacterial activity of polysaccharide-based conjugates, thereby demonstrating the potential action mechanism of polysaccharide-based conjugate. Meanwhile, existing problems and future prospects for the development and application of polysaccharide-based conjugates with good antibacterial activities are suggested. This study could provide guidance for adopting conjugation to improve the antibacterial activity and application of polysaccharides.