Conventional antimicrobials are increasingly ineffective due to the emergence of multidrug-resistance among pathogenic microorganisms. The need to overcome these deficiencies has triggered exploration for novel and unconventional approaches to controlling microbial infections. Multidrug efflux systems (MES) have been a profound obstacle in the successful deployment of antimicrobials. The discovery of small molecule efflux system blockers has been an active and rapidly expanding research discipline. A major theme in this platform involves efflux pump inhibitors (EPIs) from natural sources. The discovery methodologies and the available number of natural EPI-chemotypes are increasing. Advances in our understanding of microbial physiology have shed light on a series of pathways and phenotypes where the role of efflux systems is pivotal. Complementing existing antimicrobial discovery platforms such as photodynamic therapy (PDT) with efflux inhibition is a subject under investigation. This core information is a stepping stone in the challenge of highlighting an effective drug development path for EPIs since the puzzle of clinical implementation remains unsolved. This review summarizes advances in the path of EPI discovery, discusses potential avenues of EPI implementation and development, and underlines the need for highly informative and comprehensive translational approaches.

Conventional antimicrobial strategies have become increasingly ineffective due to the emergence of multidrug resistance among pathogenic microorganisms. The need to overcome these deficiencies has triggered the exploration of alternative treatments and unconventional approaches towards controlling microbial infections. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) was originally established as an anticancer modality and is currently used in the treatment of age‐related macular degeneration. The concept of photodynamic inactivation requires cell exposure to light energy, typically wavelengths in the visible region that causes the excitation of photosensitizer molecules either exogenous or endogenous, which results in the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). ROS produce cell inactivation and death through modification of intracellular components. The versatile characteristics of PDT prompted its investigation as an anti‐infective discovery platform. Advances in understanding of microbial physiology have shed light on a series of pathways, and phenotypes that serve as putative targets for antimicrobial drug discovery. Investigations of these phenotypic elements in concert with PDT have been reported focused on multidrug efflux systems, biofilms, virulence and pathogenesis determinants. In many instances the results are promising but only preliminary and require further investigation. This review discusses the different antimicrobial PDT strategies and highlights the need for highly informative and comprehensive discovery approaches.

Concerned about the feasibility of traditional bound-electron models to properly describe ground state anion surfaces, we calculated the negative electron affinity of a representative set of compounds, finding a good correlation between the experimental data and theoretical values obtained with the popular B3LYP functional and Pople′s relatively inexpensive standard basis sets (6-311+G(2df,p)//6-31+G*) in the cases of valence anions.

Quantum chemical computational methods are thought to have problems in dealing with unstable organic anions. This work assesses the ability of different Density Functional Theory (DFT) functionals to reproduce the electron affinity and reduction potential of organic compounds. The performance of 23 DFT functionals was evaluated by computing the negative electron affinities (from 0 eV to −3.0 eV) and reduction potentials in acetonitrile (from 0 to −2.7 V). In general, most of the hybrid GGA functionals work fine in the prediction of electron affinities, BPW91, B3PW91 and M06 being the best in each class of functionals (pure, hybrid and meta-GGA functionals, respectively). On the other hand, the ab initio post-Hartree–Fock methods, MP2 and coupled-cluster (CCSD(T)), as well as the double hybrid functionals, B2PLYP and mPW2PLYP, usually fail. For compounds with EAs lower than −1.75 eV, a method for stabilizing the anion, based on solvation with the IEFPCM model, was employed. In this case, BPW91, PBE0 and M06-HF could be the recommended option for the pure, hybrid and meta-GGA functionals, respectively. The situation improves for the evaluation and prediction of redox potentials. In this case the performance of the DFT functionals is better, in part because the solvent assists in the stabilization of the anions. Nevertheless, there is a systematic bias in the calculation of absolute redox potentials, which could be corrected by using a redox partner that helps by the cancellation of errors. In this case, the hybrid and meta-GGA functionals B3PW91, PBE0, TPSSh and M06 are also among the best for computing redox potentials with a mean absolute deviation (MAD) lower than 0.13 V.