Medieval Medicine Could Help Treat Antibiotic-Resistant Bacterial Infections

A team at the University of Warwick reports that medieval treatments made with natural antimicrobials could inform the development of potent medication against antibiotic-resistant infections.  The results were published in Scientific Reports. 

“We have shown that a medieval remedy made from onion, garlic, wine, and bile can kill a range of problematic bacteria grown both planktonically and as biofilms,” first author Freya Harrison says. “Because the mixture did not cause much damage to human cells in the lab, or to mice, we could potentially develop a safe and effective antibacterial treatment from the remedy,” she adds. In order to study the ancient remedy, they made a modern version of the concoction and tested its efficiency against pathogenic bacteria. 

Their analysis showed that the treatment was effective against a wide range of Gram-negative and gram positive wounds in planktonic culture, as well as in biofilm forms. Specifically, they confirmed its potency against: Acinetobacter baumanii, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermidis, and Streptococcus pyogene all of which can cause serious illnesses in humans. 

“Bald's eyesalve underlines the significance of medical treatment throughout the ages,” co-author Christina Lee adds. “It shows that people in Early Medieval England had at least some effective remedies. The collaboration which has informed this project shows the importance of the arts in interdisciplinary research."