Data Sheet 1_Beyond susceptibility testing: traditional Chinese medicine-associated compounds as candidate antibiotic adjuncts in chronic-wound biofilms.pdf

Weaker reports rely on early-biofilm biomass, checkerboard interaction or formulation effects that cannot be assigned to the phytochemical itself. Cinnamaldehyde, chenodeoxycholic acid, sodium houttuyfonate and 5, 8-dihydroxy-1, 4-naphthoquinone provide useful mechanistic or infected-wound leads, but the evidence remains fragmented across organisms and models. As of 12 August 2026, we found no controlled human study showing that a chemically defined TCM-associated compound used as an antibiotic adjunct clears mature chronic-wound biofilm, prevents infectious relapse or safely reduces antibiotic exposure.

Progress now depends on testing fewer, well-defined combinations in mature polymicrobial systems. Such studies should measure post-treatment regrowth, infection-site exposure and tissue compatibility alongside bacterial killing.</p>