Scientists at the University of Surrey have discovered that a natural antioxidant commonly found in green tea can help eliminate antibiotic resistant bacteria.
The study, published in the Journal of Medical Microbiology, found that epigallocatechin (EGCG) can restore the activity of aztreonam, an antibiotic commonly used to treat infections caused by the bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
P. aeruginosa is associated with serious respiratory tract and bloodstream infections and in recent years has become resistant to many major classes of antibiotics. Currently a combination of antibiotics is used to fight P. aeruginosa. However, these infections are becoming increasingly difficult to treat, as resistance to last line antibiotics is being observed.
To assess the synergy of EGCG and aztreonam, researchers conducted in vitro tests to analyse how they interacted with the P. aeruginosa, individually and in combination. The Surrey team found that the combination of aztreonam and EGCG was significantly more effective at reducing P. aeruginosa numbers than either agent alone.
This synergistic activity was also confirmed in vivo using Galleria mellonella (Greater Wax Moth larvae), with survival rates being significantly higher in those treated with the combination than those treated with EGCG or aztreonam alone. Furthermore, minimal to no toxicity was observed in human skin cells and in Galleria mellonella larvae.
Researchers believe that in P. aeruginosa, EGCG may facilitate increased uptake of aztreonam by increasing permeability in the bacteria. Another potential mechanism is EGCG’s interference with a biochemical pathway linked to antibiotic susceptibility.
Lead author Dr Jonathan Betts, Senior Research Fellow in the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Surrey, said: “Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a serious threat to global public health. Without effective antibiotics, the success of medical treatments will be compromised. We urgently need to develop novel antibiotics in the fight against AMR. Natural products such as EGCG, used in combination with currently licenced antibiotics, may be a way of improving their effectiveness and clinically useful lifespan.”
Professor Roberto La Ragione, Head of the Department of Pathology and Infectious Diseases in the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Surrey, said: “The World Health Organisation has listed antibiotic resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa as a critical threat to human health. We have shown that we can successfully eliminate such threats with the use of natural products, in combination with antibiotics already in use. Further development of these alternatives to antibiotics may allow them to be used in clinical settings in the future.”
Learn more: Green tea could hold the key to reducing antibiotic resistance
The Latest on: Antibiotic resistant bacteria
[google_news title=”” keyword=”antibiotic resistant bacteria” num_posts=”10″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
via Google News
The Latest on: Antibiotic resistant bacteria
- Researchers target spermidine production to combat emerging drug resistance in Salmonellaon May 8, 2024 at 1:41 pm
Food-borne diseases like typhoid, caused by Salmonella Typhimurium, are a severe threat to public health, especially in India. The indiscriminate use of antibiotics has allowed this bacterium to ...
- Online platform aims to share personal stories about antibiotic resistanceon May 8, 2024 at 12:55 pm
The Global AMR Diary will collect the stories of patients, parents, providers, and others affected by drug-resistant bacterial infections.
- A New Oral Antibiotic Is Available to Treat UTIson May 8, 2024 at 9:32 am
The FDA recently approved Pivya for uncomplicated UTIs. Pivya is an oral tablet that clears bacterial infections in the female bladder.
- Study underscores new strategies to fight drug-resistant bacteriaon May 7, 2024 at 12:41 pm
Several billion years ago, a genetic arms race began between bacteria and their viral killers. This seemingly eternal struggle continues today, with implications for diseases killing tens of thousands ...
- Study highlights overuse of antibiotics in newborns with suspected sepsison May 7, 2024 at 6:56 am
Newborns in Sweden are given antibiotics for suspected sepsis to an unjustified extent. This is according to a study by the University of Gothenburg in more than 1 million newborns. Despite a ...
- Fred Allendorf: Science and Nature: Evolution of antibiotic resistance in bacteriaon May 7, 2024 at 5:45 am
Approximately 8 million people die annually around the world from infectious diseases caused by bacteria. Bacterial diseases have been the major cause of human mortality throughout history. For ...
- A mother's loss launches a global effort to fight antibiotic resistanceon May 7, 2024 at 3:00 am
Diane Shader Smith's daughter, Mallory Smith, died at age 25 after fighting an antibiotic-resistant lung infection for 12 years. A new book of her daughter's diary entries and a website are aimed at ...
- Raw meat-based diet for pets linked to drug-resistant bacteria, prompting concerns over public health riskson May 5, 2024 at 10:51 pm
Study reveals that raw meat-based pet diets (RMBDs) often harbor multidrug-resistant bacteria, posing significant health risks to both pets and humans, unlike conventionally processed pet foods.
- Automated alerts improved antibiotic prescribing for common infections: JAMA studieson May 3, 2024 at 12:15 pm
Pneumonia and urinary tract infections are the two most common infections requiring hospitalizations and major reasons for the overuse of broad-spectrum antibiotics. | Algorithm-driven alerts help ...
- Bacteria on the ISS has mutated into something never seen on Earthon May 2, 2024 at 12:19 pm
Scientists have discovered several strains of bacteria never before seen on Earth aboard the International Space Station.
via Bing News