icon bookmark-bicon bookmarkicon cameraicon checkicon chevron downicon chevron lefticon chevron righticon chevron upicon closeicon v-compressicon downloadicon editicon v-expandicon fbicon fileicon filtericon flag ruicon full chevron downicon full chevron lefticon full chevron righticon full chevron upicon gpicon insicon mailicon moveicon-musicicon mutedicon nomutedicon okicon v-pauseicon v-playicon searchicon shareicon sign inicon sign upicon stepbackicon stepforicon swipe downicon tagicon tagsicon tgicon trashicon twicon vkicon yticon wticon fm
23 Sep, 2019 17:06

Good for what ails you: Green tea offers simple solution to fighting antibiotic resistance, study finds

Good for what ails you: Green tea offers simple solution to fighting antibiotic resistance, study finds

An ingredient commonly found in green tea could help eliminate antibiotic resistant bacteria - one of the greatest health risks facing our increasingly antibiotic-reliant world.

Researchers at the UK’s University of Surrey found that a natural antioxidant in green tea can help aztreonam, an antibiotic commonly used to treat serious respiratory tract and bloodstream infections.

Also on rt.com Climate change may have spawned a new killer, antibiotic-resistant bug

Such infections are linked to the bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and have become increasingly difficult to treat in recent years as it grew resistant to antibiotic treatment. 

Through their analysis, the team found a combination of the antioxidant and aztreonam together was more effective at tackling the bacteria than either managed alone. 

“The World Health Organisation has listed antibiotic resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa as a critical threat to human health,” Prof. Roberto La Ragione, Head of the Department of Pathology and Infectious Diseases in the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Surrey said.

Also on rt.com Scientists develop BREAKTHROUGH device that could end over-prescription of antibiotics

“We have shown that we can successfully eliminate such threats with the use of natural products, in combination with antibiotics already in use.”

Results from the breakthrough have been published in the Journal of Medical Microbiology. The winning combination now needs to be developed further before it can be used in clinical settings. 

Like this story? Share it with a friend!

Podcasts
0:00
26:13
0:00
24:57