GARLIC
Garlic contains
a substance that is particularly effective in encounters with even the
hardiest bacterial strains. A young researcher at the University of
Copenhagen will soon be defending his PhD thesis on the positive
properties of the malodorous plant.
a substance that is particularly effective in encounters with even the
hardiest bacterial strains. A young researcher at the University of
Copenhagen will soon be defending his PhD thesis on the positive
properties of the malodorous plant.
Aggressive
multi-resistant infections constitute an increasing health problem all
over the world. Bacteria are developing resistance at an alarming pace,
so new pharmaceuticals that can combat this threat are in great demand.
"We
know that there is a potent chemical compound in the garlic plant that
neutralises resistant bacteria by paralysing their communication system.
My PhD thesis demonstrates that ajoene -- the substance present in
garlic -- specifically prevents the bacteria from secreting the toxin
rhamnolipid which destroys white blood cells in the body. White blood
cells are indispensable because they play a crucial role in the immune
defence system, not only warding off infection, but also killing
bacteria," explains Tim Holm Jakobsen, PhD Student at the Faculty of
Health and Medical Sciences, who will be defending his thesis on 21
February.
A tough sheath of biofilm
When
bacteria clump together in what is known as biofilm -- where they
surround themselves with a tough film of organic materials -- they
become resistant to antibiotics. Researchers have been devoting much of
their attention to Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria, which cause
infections in patients with chronic leg ulcers, for example, and in the
lungs of patients suffering from cystic fibrosis.
"Ajoene
supports and improves treatment with conventional antibiotics. We have
clearly demonstrated this on biofilm cultivated in the laboratory and in
trials involving mice. When we add antibiotics to biofilm they have
very little effect, and ajoene alone barely makes any difference. It is
only when the two are combined that something significant happens,"
explains Tim Holm Jakobsen.
Combination treatment with ajoene and antibiotics kills more than 90 per cent of the normally virulent biofilm.
From
a technical perspective, the ajoene blocks the communication system --
known as Quorum Sensing -- in the bacteria, which is used for purposes
including creating infection.
Chemists outstrip nature
A
large number of natural substances have proved extremely effective as
medicines; taxol from the yew tree is used to treat breast cancer, for
example, while artemisinin from sweet wormwood is effective against
malaria. However, to improve on the original substances from nature --
and to assure sustainable pharmaceutical production -- researchers are
working to augment natural materials through chemical synthesis.
"Garlic
contains so little ajoene that you would need to eat around 50 a day to
achieve the desired effect. This means we have to pick up the ball from
Mother Nature and run with it," says Tim Holm Jacobsen, who hopes that
the pharmaceutical industry will be quick to turn its attention to
producing of the natural substance to which the research group currently
holds the patent.
"There's a lot of money in pharmaceuticals for
treating chronic illnesses such as diabetes, but if we are to win the
race against bacteria, we need to bring new antibiotics into play.
Nature is a great starting point for developing medicines -- two-thirds
of all new pharmaceuticals are based on natural substances," concludes
Tim Holm Jakobsen.
multi-resistant infections constitute an increasing health problem all
over the world. Bacteria are developing resistance at an alarming pace,
so new pharmaceuticals that can combat this threat are in great demand.
"We
know that there is a potent chemical compound in the garlic plant that
neutralises resistant bacteria by paralysing their communication system.
My PhD thesis demonstrates that ajoene -- the substance present in
garlic -- specifically prevents the bacteria from secreting the toxin
rhamnolipid which destroys white blood cells in the body. White blood
cells are indispensable because they play a crucial role in the immune
defence system, not only warding off infection, but also killing
bacteria," explains Tim Holm Jakobsen, PhD Student at the Faculty of
Health and Medical Sciences, who will be defending his thesis on 21
February.
A tough sheath of biofilm
When
bacteria clump together in what is known as biofilm -- where they
surround themselves with a tough film of organic materials -- they
become resistant to antibiotics. Researchers have been devoting much of
their attention to Pseudomonas aeruginosa bacteria, which cause
infections in patients with chronic leg ulcers, for example, and in the
lungs of patients suffering from cystic fibrosis.
"Ajoene
supports and improves treatment with conventional antibiotics. We have
clearly demonstrated this on biofilm cultivated in the laboratory and in
trials involving mice. When we add antibiotics to biofilm they have
very little effect, and ajoene alone barely makes any difference. It is
only when the two are combined that something significant happens,"
explains Tim Holm Jakobsen.
Combination treatment with ajoene and antibiotics kills more than 90 per cent of the normally virulent biofilm.
From
a technical perspective, the ajoene blocks the communication system --
known as Quorum Sensing -- in the bacteria, which is used for purposes
including creating infection.
Chemists outstrip nature
A
large number of natural substances have proved extremely effective as
medicines; taxol from the yew tree is used to treat breast cancer, for
example, while artemisinin from sweet wormwood is effective against
malaria. However, to improve on the original substances from nature --
and to assure sustainable pharmaceutical production -- researchers are
working to augment natural materials through chemical synthesis.
"Garlic
contains so little ajoene that you would need to eat around 50 a day to
achieve the desired effect. This means we have to pick up the ball from
Mother Nature and run with it," says Tim Holm Jacobsen, who hopes that
the pharmaceutical industry will be quick to turn its attention to
producing of the natural substance to which the research group currently
holds the patent.
"There's a lot of money in pharmaceuticals for
treating chronic illnesses such as diabetes, but if we are to win the
race against bacteria, we need to bring new antibiotics into play.
Nature is a great starting point for developing medicines -- two-thirds
of all new pharmaceuticals are based on natural substances," concludes
Tim Holm Jakobsen.
