Bedbugs and consultants are bleeding us dry
Pomegranates could be used to fight MRSA
Scientists from Kingston University in South West London have discovered that the pomegranate rind can be turned into an ointment for treating MRSA and other common hospital infections.
In a series of tests conducted over three years, the team, led by Professor Declan Naughton from the School of Life Sciences found that the infection-fighting properties of pomegranate were greatly enhanced by combining the rind of the fruit with two other natural products – metal salts and Vitamin C.
Professor Naughton said “We have developed a topical ointment that can successfully attack a range of drug resistant microbes. It’s a significant breakthrough and a striking example of the effectiveness of adding more components to create a more active product.”
Pomegranate rind combined with metal salts was the most effective combination for treating MRSA, while other common hospital infections were better dealt with by all three components: pomegranate rind, metal salts and Vitamin C. Professor Naughton said it was exciting to discover a new use for natural products. “It shows that nature still has a few tricks up its sleeve,” he said.
The tests were conducted using microbes such as MRSA taken from hospital patients.
Online training units, written and reviewed by experts. Earn two hours' CPD and a personalised certificate for your portfolio.
Subscribers get five FREE learning units and non-subscribers can access each learning unit for £10 + VAT.
Share
Have your say
You must sign in to make a comment.