Fighting MRSA with A Pomegranate

I mentioned the power of pomegranates for your health about six weeks ago, and lo and behold no sooner do you mention one benefit than another rolls up behind it – just like buses. A team of scientists from Kingston University in South West London has discovered that the rind can be turned into an ointment for treating MRSA and other common hospital infections. MRSA is an important pathogen, an agent of a disease, that can cause infections in humans and is difficult to combat because it has developed a resistance to some antibiotics.

In a series of tests conducted over three years, Professor Naughton and researchers from the School of Life Sciences at Kingston have learnt 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. “We have developed a topical ointment that can successfully attack a range of drug resistant microbes,” Professor Naughton said. “It’s a significant breakthrough and a striking example of the effectiveness of adding more components to create a more active product. The idea of using a foodstuff is unusual and means that the body should be able to cope more easily with its application; patients are less likely to experience any major side-effects”

I would add that it’s a significant breakthrough to see natural ingredients being used instead of chemical ones, so hurray for fruit power! The last word goes to Professor Naughton who said it was exciting to discover a new use for natural products. “It shows that nature still has a few tricks up its sleeve.” Amen to that.