Staff Writer
A
group of microbiologists have turned an ancient potion into a possible way to
wipe out MRSA, the modern-day bacteria that can cause several dangerous
infections. Christina Lee, an expert on Anglo-Saxon
culture and history, worked with several scientists to recreate a recipe for an
“eyesalve” potion found in Bald’s
Leechbook, an extremely early medical textbook from the ninth century. The remedy contains garlic, wine, and bile
from the stomach of a cow. The
scientists put in great effort to translate and recreate the recipe, even using
a type of wine that would have existed in the 10th century.
Once
they were able to produce the remedy, the researchers tested it on the MRSA
bacterium. To the surprise of everyone
involved, the results were more than impressive. The potion can reduce a population consisting
of billions of MRSA cells into a few thousand cells. This is especially interesting given the fact
that MRSA is infamous for its resistance to the majority of modern
antibiotics. Researchers are currently
testing the remedy, and this discovery could be a huge step towards finding a
proper way to eliminate MRSA.
