Manuka Honey Fights Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Plus So Much More

AHA Publisher — Mon, 29 Nov 2021 08:00:58 +0000

Karen Sanders via NaturalHealth365 – The steadily worsening problem of antibiotic-resistant pathogens – cause for grave concern in the medical community – has researchers working overtime to discover solutions. But several studies raise hope that Manuka honey may hold the key to combating MRSA and other drug-resistant strains. In one study conducted at Cardiff Metropolitan University and published in 2012 in Microbiology, researchers moved closer to understanding the mechanisms by which honey inhibits the formation of biofilms – difficult-to-treat communities of bacteria – and helps to clear chronic wounds. Manuka honey Quickly Incapacitates Infection-Causing Bacteria Researchers found that Manuka honey produced in New Zealand and Australia has the ability to attack a common bacteria, Streptococcus pyogenes, often responsible for chronic infections, as well as the destruction of skin grafts. In fact, it took only modest concentrations of honey to kill 85 percent of the biofilms in a Petri dish – within two hours. And, S. pyogenes isn’t the only pathogen susceptible to honey – numerous studies demonstrate that Manuka honey is antiviral, antifungal, and active against 80 different species of bacteria, including E. coli, P. aeruginosa, and methicillin-resistant staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA. The team noted that there are no instances of any type of honey-resistant bacteria on record. Remarking that honey was both cheaper and safer than conventional drugs, they called for its use as a complementary therapy in conjunction with antibiotics. Manuka Honey Not Only Treats Bacterial Infections – It Can Prevent Them From Developing in the First Place Researchers discovered that honey disrupts the interaction between S. pyogenes and a protein called fibronectin, which exists on the surface of damaged cells. The fibronectin acts as a fixative or glue, allowing bacteria to stick to wounds. Honey disrupts the bond of two different types of fibronectin, known as Sof and Sfbl. But honey is not just a “one-trick pony” when it comes to its tools for fighting infection and healing long-standing wounds. According to research presented in 2014 at the 247th meeting of the American Chemical Society, honey also uses hydrogen peroxide, acidity, and antioxidant flavonoids and polyphenols – such as caffeic acid, p-coumaric acid, and ellagic acid – to inhibit bacteria. In addition, it employs an osmotic effect, in which its high percentage of sugar draws water from bacterial cells, dehydrating and then killing them. To form biofilms, bacteria use a communication system called quorum sensing; by interrupting this system, honey works as a signal jammer, preventing biofilms from developing. Honey Accelerates Wound Repair Plus So Much More Of course, Manuka honey can be used for more than wound healing. University of Maryland Medical Center reports that it may be taken to alleviate laryngitis, sore throats, pharyngitis, and cough. Honey has also been used in folk medicine and Ayurveda to promote digestion, relieve constipation, and soothe acid reflux. Naturally, you shouldn’t use honey to treat medical conditions unless under the guidance of a trusted medical professional. But, there’s no doubt, raw honey is highly-effective at promoting optimal health. With All the Different Brands and Varieties, How Do I Know Which Honey to Choose? Natural health experts all seem to agree: it’s best to opt for raw, unfiltered organic honey, available in health food stores and online. Manuka honey, of course, is considered the queen of healthful honeys and well worth the extra expense – but local, raw honey can be just as effective in many cases. Avoid filtered “supermarket” honey; many contain antibiotics and (surprise!) high fructose corn syrup. In addition, the bee pollen has been removed. Raw, organic honey, on the other hand, still retains all its vitamins, nutrients, antioxidants, and pollen. In addition to its potent germ-fighting properties and its value as a safe and trusted home remedy for minor ills, raw honey is a delicious alternative to refined white sugar. So, bottom line, always look for ‘raw’ honey – and buy as local a variety as you can get. Sources for this article include: NIH.gov ScienceDaily.com ScienceDaily.com NIH.gov To read the original article click here.

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New Killing Mechanism Discovered in ‘Game-Changing’ Antibiotic

AHA Publisher — Thu, 11 Jun 2020 07:00:15 +0000

University of Liverpool via EurekAlert – Scientists at the University of Liverpool and University of Utrecht have taken another step forward on their quest to develop a viable drug based on teixobactin – a new class of potent natural antibiotic capable of killing superbugs. *Teixobactin is a peptide-like secondary metabolite of some species of bacteria, that kills some gram-positive bacteria. It appears to belong to a new class of antibiotics, and harms bacteria by binding to lipid II and lipid III, important precursor molecules for forming the cell wall. Research published in Nature Communications provides fundamental new insights into how teixobactins kill bacteria, including the discovery of a new killing mechanism that could help inform the design of improved teixobactin-based drugs. Teixobactin was hailed as a ‘game changer’ when it was discovered in 2015 due to its ability kill multi-drug resistant bacterial pathogens such as MRSA without developing resistance. If made suitable for humans, it would mark the first new class of antibiotic drug for 30 years. Dr Ishwar Singh, an expert in Antimicrobial Drug Discovery and Development and Medicinal Chemistry at Liverpool’s Centre of Excellence in Infectious Diseases Research, has led pioneering research over the past six years to develop teixobactin-based viable drugs. His research team was the first in the world to successfully create simplified synthetic forms of teixobactins which are effective in treating bacterial infections in mice. Dr Singh explained: “We know that the therapeutic potential of simplified synthetic teixobactins is immense, and our ultimate goal is to have a number of viable drugs from our synthetic teixobactin platform which can be used as a last line of defence against superbugs to save lives.” In collaboration with NMR expert Professor Markus Weingarth at the University of Utrecht, the team used high resolution solid state NMR, and microscopy to show, for the first time, how synthetic teixobactins bind to lipid II (an essential component of the bacterial membrane) and kill the bacteria. Dr Singh said: “It had been assumed that teixobactins kill the bacteria by binding to bacterial cell wall bricks such as lipid II, but never shown until now. Our work also suggests that teixobactins kill the bacteria by capturing lipid II in massive clusters, a new killing mechanism, which we were excited to discover.” Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a grave threat to human health and prosperity. The O’Neill report, commissioned by the UK government and published in 2016, suggests that without action AMR will cause the deaths of 10 million people a year by 2050. The development of new antibiotics is therefore a crucial area of study for scientists around the world. Dr Singh added: “A significant amount of work remains in the development of teixobactins as a therapeutic antibiotic for human use. Our study is a real step in right direction and opens the door for improving teixobactins and moving these toward clinic. “So far, we have demonstrated that we can make teixobactins which are effective in treating infections from resistant bacterial pathogens and understand their binding modes in a bacterial membrane. Now we need to expand our understanding on mode of action on a library of teixobactins with different bacterial membranes to develop a catalogue of molecules which have potential to become a drug for human use.” This article has been modified. To read the original article click here. *information obtained here.

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Manuka Honey Fights Antibiotic-Resistant Bacteria Plus So Much More

New Killing Mechanism Discovered in ‘Game-Changing’ Antibiotic