The antimicrobial properties of silver have been known for centuries. While it is still a mystery as to exactly how silver kills bacteria, University of Arkansas researchers have taken a step toward better understanding the process by looking at dynamics of proteins in live bacteria at the molecular level. Traditionally, the antimicrobial effects of silver […]
To Remove Germs, Hand Sanitizer Doesn’t Work As Well As Soap And Water
Actress Kristen Bell posted a photo on Instagram of her mom’s hands, lit up with UV-light to show the germs. The photos showed how much of a difference it makes to rinse your hands for six seconds, or to scrub them with soap and water for 30 seconds. All of us (hopefully) wash our hands daily, […]
Oregano Oil May Protect Against Drug-Resistant Bacteria
Oil from the common herb oregano may be an effective treatment against dangerous, and sometimes drug-resistant bacteria, a Georgetown researcher has found. Two studies have shown that oregano oil—and, in particular, carvacrol, one of oregano’s chemical components—appear to reduce infection as effectively as traditional antibiotics. These findings were presented at the American College of Nutrition’s […]
Sugar binges increase risk of inflammatory bowel disease
Short-term increases in sugar consumption could increase the risk of inflammatory bowel disease and have a significant impact on our health, a new study out of the University of Alberta suggests. In a study published in Scientific Reports, U of A researchers found that mice had an increased susceptibility to chemically induced colitis and more […]
Summary of the Tryptophan Toxicity Incident
Food supplements, such as amino acids, are often manufactured by fermentative processes, in which large quantities of bacteria are grown in vats, and the food supplement is extracted from the bacteria and purified. One amino acid, tryptophan has been produced in this way for many years. In the late 1980’s the company Showa Denko K.K. […]
How Cranberry Products Prevent Urinary Tract Infections
Chemicals present in cranberries—and not the acidity of cranberry juice, as previously thought—prevent infection-causing bacteria from attaching to the cells that line the urinary tract, as documented in a report published in Journal of Medicinal Food. Urinary tract infections (UTIs) burden the healthcare system with more than $2 billion in treatment costs each year and are […]
Manuka honey curbs activity, growth of bacteria even at low dilutions
Even low dilutions of Manuka honey can curb the activity and growth of bacterial biofilms — the thin but resilient layer of microbes that build up on, and stick to, any surface including plastic, according to new research from the University of Southampton. The findings, published online in the Journal of Clinical Pathology,raise the prospect of […]
Narrow wavelength of UV light safely kills drug-resistant bacteria
Scientists from the Center for Radiological Research at Columbia University Medical Center have shown that a narrow wavelength of ultraviolet (UV) light safely killed drug-resistant MRSA bacteria in mice, demonstrating a potentially safe and cost-effective way to reduce surgical site infections, a major public health concern. A paper just published by PLOS ONE describes how the Columbia […]
New Research Suggests Common Herbicides Are Linked To Antibiotic Resistance
Antibiotics are losing their ability to kill bacteria. One of the main reasons for the rise in antibiotic resistance is the improper use of antibiotics, but our latest research shows that the ingredients in commonly-used weed killers like Round-up and Kamba can also cause bacteria to become less susceptible to antibiotics. Herbicides induce gene activity Already, about […]
Sulfites Inhibit The Growth Of Beneficial Gut Bacteria
A new study published by students and researchers at the University of Hawai‘i Maui College, found that sulfites in common food preservatives killed or inhibited the growth of the good bacteria found in the human gut. University of Hawai‘i Maui College students Emily Graham, Ashley Malek and Adriel Robidoux, chemistry lecturer Dr. Peter Fisher, and microbiology […]