Recent Advances in Chalcone Derivatives as Promising Antimicrobial Agents: A Mini Review

The rapid emergence of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has created an urgent need for the development of novel antimicrobial agents with improved efficacy and reduced susceptibility to resistance. Among various bioactive scaffolds, chalcone derivatives have attracted considerable attention because of their structural diversity, synthetic accessibility, and broad-spectrum antimicrobial properties. This mini review summarizes recent advances in the biosynthesis and synthetic approaches of chalcone derivatives, highlighting their applications as promising antimicrobial agents. In addition, recent findings on the antimicrobial activities of chalcone derivatives against Gram-positive bacteria, Gram-negative bacteria, mycobacteria, and pathogenic fungi are discussed, with particular emphasis on structure–activity relationships that govern their biological performance. The review further describes the diverse mechanisms underlying their antimicrobial activity, including membrane disruption, inhibition of essential bacterial enzymes, interference with nucleic acid and protein synthesis, suppression of biofilm formation, and attenuation of bacterial virulence. Collectively, these complementary mechanisms contribute to the broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity of chalcone derivatives and provide a promising strategy for addressing antimicrobial resistance. Although substantial progress has been achieved, further studies focusing on rational structural optimization, comprehensive biological evaluation, pharmacokinetic characterization, and in vivo validation are required to facilitate the translation of chalcone derivatives into clinically relevant antimicrobial agents.