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This spice can suppress the resilience of bacteria to antibiotics

This spice can suppress the resilience of bacteria to antibiotics
Image Credit: iStock

Essential oils of this herbaceous plant from the Ginger family can help solve the problem of the gradual development of drugresistant pathogenic microbes.

As part of an international research program, a team of scientists found a valuable compound in the Gree Cardamom extracts that can help to prevent the formation of bacterial biofilms that protect pathogenic flora from the effects of drugs. 

It is this property of bacteria that leads to the effect of “addiction” of the infection to the therapeutic effects of antibiotics, the university reports. 

Cardamom’s ability to suppress this effect creates prospects for a new generation of antibacterial drugs.

At least 80% of infectious diseases are caused by bacteria capable of forming these biofilms, according to data from the US National Institute of Health.

“According to the US National Institutes of Health, at least 80% of infectious diseases are caused by bacteria capable of forming biofilms. Green cardamom essential oil will help fight back multidrug-resistant microorganisms: already at a concentration of 0.125%, which is an order of magnitude lower than the concentration lethal for bacteria, it effectively suppresses the formation of biofilms in gram-negative pathogens of humans and animals,” said the head of the Center for Agrobiotechnology DSTU, professor of the department Food Science of the State University of New Jersey Michael Chikindas.

Microorganisms know how to inform the entire community about a dangerous environment for them through a type of chemical language. As a result, these bio-layers are formed.

Cardamom silences the bacteria, allowing the antibiotics to successfully carry out their attack and thus defeat the disease.

Scientists believe that cardamom can be used in the development of new drugs to combat bacterial resistance. 

Cardamom-based medications are especially effective at fighting infections such as E. coli, streptococci, and salmonella, the researchers noted.

Today Cardamom is used in the food industry as a flavor enhancing food additive with antioxidant properties. 

The team believes that it can also become a good alternative to chemical food preservatives.

The research results are published in the journal Frontiers in Microbiology. 

Scientists from the US, China, Pakistan, and Iraq took part in the research.

Image Credit: iStock

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