Exploring the Antimicrobial Potential of Spirocyclic Compounds: A Comprehensive Review

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: The global increase in antimicrobial resistance presents a significant public health challenge and calls for the discovery of new antimicrobial agents with innovative mechanisms of action. Spirocyclic compounds, characterized by two or more rings connected via a single shared atom, have attracted interest due to their rigid three-dimensional structures and promising pharmacological activities. This review aims to summarize research published between 2019 and 2025 on the antibacterial potential of natural, semisynthetic, and synthetic spirocyclic compounds, emphasizing their activity against Gram-positive, Gramnegative, and resistant bacterial strains. It also highlights promising therapeutic scaffolds and explores Structure- Activity Relationships (SAR) where available. METHODS: Relevant literature was gathered from peer-reviewed scientific databases. Studies reporting antibacterial evaluations of spirocyclic derivatives were included. Reported compounds were classified based on their core scaffold type, and their antibacterial activities, synergistic effects with standard antibiotics, and insights from computational docking were examined. RESULTS: Several spirocyclic scaffolds demonstrated antibacterial potential, including spiro β-lactams, spiro chromanes, spiro thiazolidines, and especially spiro oxindoles, which were the most extensively studied (44 research articles). Many compounds showed notable antibacterial activity against drug-resistant strains, and synergistic effects were observed when combined with conventional antibiotics. One spiro pyrimidinetrione derivative was approved recently by the US FDA, indicating translational potential. Molecular docking studies supported mechanistic understanding by predicting possible bacterial targets. DISCUSSION: Due to their wide applications across various scaffolds, spiro frameworks could be a valuable strategy in defeating bacteria. This architecture offers structurally unique compounds by expanding the threedimensional chemical space that may address antimicrobial resistance. Further exploration through Mechanistic validations and systematic structure-activity relationships studies is required to fully understand the potential of spiro compounds. CONCLUSION: Spirocyclic compounds are a valuable class of antibacterial agents owing to their structural diversity and efficacy. This review offers insights into their therapeutic potential and provides a foundation for future drug development targeting antimicrobial resistance.