The overuse of antibiotics in our foods and medications have created an outpour of bacteria that have become immune to the effects of antibiotics. Since antibiotics are gradually losing the ability to protect us from certain infections, many scientists and researchers are looking for alternative treatment options like natural antibiotics.
The number of bacteria capable of withstanding antibiotics with the ability to evade one of humankind’s most powerful weapons against infectious diseases continues to increase and several antibiotic-resistant bacteria strains already exist. Even public health officials have noticed how much antibiotic-resistance has become a real threat in the field of medicine and are looking to study more natural alternatives.
How Turmeric Is Nature’s Best Antioxidant
Nature has always been our best medicine. In fact, many medications we now use today are actually a derivative of plants. Antibiotics, for example, was first discovered in natural species like fungi.
After exhausting seemingly every alternative like garlic, tea tree oil and even honey, researchers have finally found a viable solution that could kill antibiotic-resistant bacteria. You probably already have it in your spice cabinet and it goes by the name of turmeric.
This yellow root has been used for thousands of years to heal a variety of ailments and added to many ethnic cuisines for an extra kick, but this spice does more than add a bit of flavor. Research has proved that there are several other benefits because of turmeric’s active ingredient curcumin.
Numbers of studies have revealed the medicinal benefits of curcumin. Because of its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory capabilities, turmeric provides protection against different chronic diseases like diabetes and cancer. Curcumin also has an antimicrobial activity, which makes it effective against viruses, bacteria and even different strains of fungi.
Reasearch That Prove Turmeric Is an Effective Antibiotic
A study was conducted on the efficiency of turmeric, a team of researchers from India provided some significant evidence in explaining how curcumin in turmeric kills bacteria. Their results revealed not only a mechanism of action but also revealed how this mechanism carried out this action.
The group added curcumin into growing stock of bacteria like Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis and Pseudomonas aeruginosa and monitored any changes in growth. As they expected, curcumin was proven successful in killing all the bacteria within two hours. What was even more promising was the fact that a very small amount of the turmeric root was used.
Each of the strains of bacteria that were used in this study all had different protective walls and structures, but regardless of the strain, they all were no match for curcumin. This molecule has the same method of action and the same ability to kill. Which suggested that this molecule may indeed be a very well-qualified candidate to replace antibiotics.
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References
Tetro, J. (2015, May 29). One of the Best Antibiotics Could Be in Your Kitchen. Retrieved from https://www.huffingtonpost.ca/jason-tetro/curcumin-antibiotic_b_6960926.html
Tyagi, P., Singh, M., Kumari, H., Kumari, A., & Mukhopadhyay, K. (2015). Bactericidal Activity of Curcumin I Is Associated with Damaging of Bacterial Membrane. Plos One, 10(3). doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0121313
