eng Oriental Scientific Publishing Company Biosciences Biotechnology Research Asia 0973-1245 2025-09-30 22 3 914 922 10.13005/bbra/3414 55737 article Benjamin Isaac Thomson 1 Shainaba A Saadhali 2 Department of Biotechnology, School of Bioengineering, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur, Tamil Nadu, India Department of Bacteriology, ICMR- National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis, Chetpet, Chennai, India The use of efflux pump inhibitors (EPIs) as adjuvant therapy to combat bacterial resistance to several antibiotics has been a proven method to fight antimicrobial resistance. Antibiotic- expelling efflux pumps, which are found in bacterial cell membranes, play a major role in the development of multidrug resistance. Therefore, EPIs, which are meant to inhibit these pumps, have the potential to make the current antibiotic arsenal more effective. Here we classify efflux pumps, analyse the many complexities of EPI processes, and emphasize the range of sources and applications. This academic review thus highlights the functioning of efflux pumps, the critical role that efflux pump inhibitors play and advocates for more research into efflux pump inhibitors. https://www.biotech-asia.org/vol22no3/efflux-pump-inhibitors-and-their-role-in-combating-bacterial-drug-resistance/ Antimicrobial resistance; Efflux pump; Efflux pump inhibitors; Multi-drug resistance; Mycobacterium tuberculosis