Sustainable Management of Surgical Site Infection Pathogens: Leveraging Multitrophic Phytobiome Interactions of Urtica dioica and Chamaemelum nobile

Abstract

Surgical site infections (SSIs) are still among the most frequent healthcare-associated infections and are a major cause of postoperative morbidity, mortality, prolonged hospitalization, and increased healthcare costs globally. The increasing occurrence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, together with their ability to form biofilms, has significantly reduced the effectiveness of conventional antibiotics and exacerbated the global antimicrobial resistance (AMR) crisis. This review discusses the potential of Urtica dioica (stinging nettle) and Chamaemelum nobile (Roman chamomile) as phytobiome-driven therapeutic resources for sustainable management of SSIs. The review covers the current evidence on the antimicrobial, antibiofilm, quorum-sensing inhibitory, efflux pump inhibitory, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and wound-healing properties of these medicinal plants, highlighting the synergistic contributions of multitrophic plant–microbe interactions. Advances in metagenomics, metabolomics, and other multi-omics technologies significantly elucidate the functions of the phytobiome and facilitate the discovery of new antibacterial substances. U. dioica and C. nobile could be eco-friendly multitarget therapeutics to combat MDR SSI pathogens, reducing antibiotic reliance and environmental impact when integrating phytobiome science with sustainable healthcare and the One Health framework.