‘Noxious weed’ may help fight superbugs: Study

WASHINGTON, Feb 13:
A noxious weed that plagues homeowners across Florida may hold the secret to fighting deadly antibiotic-resistant superbugs, a new study has claimed. The red berries of the Brazilian peppertree contain an extract with the power to disarm dangerous antibiotic-resistant staph bacteria, researchers said. “Traditional healers in the Amazon have used the Brazilian peppertree for hundreds of years to treat infections of the skin and soft tissues,” said Cassandra Quave, an assistant professor at Emory University in the US.
“We pulled apart the chemical ingredients of the berries and systematically tested them against disease-causing bacteria to uncover a medicinal mechanism of this plant,” Quave said. The researchers showed that a refined, flavone-rich composition extracted from the berries inhibits formation of skin lesions in mice infected with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus auereus (MRSA). (PTI)

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here