Alternative Remedies
"We decided to investigate the chemical properties of the American beautyberry because it was an important medicinal plant for Native Americans"
Photograph/Illustration: Generated with AI
This category is dedicated to the exploration and scientific investigation of alternative approaches to preventing and treating microbial infections, particularly in the context of AMR.
It covers a diverse range of potential therapies that fall outside the scope of conventional synthetic antibiotics. Topics include the study of natural products like medicinal plants and phytotherapy along with the therapeutic potential of microbiome therapies such as probiotics and prebiotics.
The focus is on evidence-based research into the efficacy, safety, and mechanisms of these alternative remedies as potential tools curb infections.
Alternative remedies and natural products like Manuka honey and garlic are well-known examples. Other treatment modalities such as FMT (Faecal Microbiota Transplantation) have gained ground in recent years and in several hospitals across Europe is now routine medical care particularly in recurrent C. diff infections (Clostridium difficile) and are covered in this category as well.
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View allCranberry juice may be a boon for oral hygiene
Abstract
Testing cranberry juice against plaque In her study, 14 children and eight adults were randomly assigned to drink either unsweetened pure 100% cranberry juice, a cranberry juice cocktail containing 27% juice with added sugar or water. Slower plaque growth, less acid Sure enough, the plaque exposed to pure cranberry juice appeared to be growing more slowly than the unexposed samples. Wu said she's excited for the potential of cranberry juice to be considered a functional beverage" that benefits oral health, especially because other popular juices—like orange and apple—didn't fit the bill. Publication details Christine D. Wu et al., In vivo exposure to cranberry juice suppresses dental plaque regrowth and acid production in adults and children: a PGRM study, Scientific Reports (2026)."Spatially organized chemical defences shape microbial communities in honey bee colonies
Abstract
Sample extraction for antimicrobial and chemical analyses Propolis, pollen, and wax samples (n = 18 for each sample type) were snap-frozen in liquid nitrogen, powdered, and extracted in 80% (v/v) ethanol at a 1:10 (w/v) ratio for 5 days at ~50 rpm (80% ethanol was selected on the basis of solvent optimization across eight solvents, Supplementary Fig. Diverse antimicrobial activity profiles are present across hive products and bee-derived compounds To investigate whether coordinated antimicrobial defences across hive products, structural materials, and bee physiology suppress pathogens while preserving beneficial microbiota, we assessed antimicrobial activity against seven microorganisms: five hive pathogens (Paenibacillus larvae, causative agent of American foulbrood, P. alvei and Enterococcus faecalis, opportunistic secondary invaders of European foulbrood, Ascosphaera apis, causative agent of chalkbrood, Aspergillus flavus, causative agent of stonebrood) and two nonhive environmental microbes (Staphylococcus aureus and Cryptococcus deuterogattii). The spatial organization is not static, with microbial community structure strongly influenced by hive health, and the antimicrobial activity and chemical composition of hive products shaped primarily by local environment context, reflecting the dependence of colony chemical defences on floral resources. Ants, termites, and stingless bees also demonstrate the targeted application of antimicrobial substances to vulnerable brood, with variation in the chemistry of the nest across zones and in response to the environment [9–12, 66–68].Gedea Biotechs pHyph uppmärksammas i uppdaterad svensk behandlingsrådgivning för bakteriell vaginos
Abstract
De uppdaterade nationella råden, från Svensk Förening för Obstetrik och Gynekologi (SFOG), lyfter fram pHyph som en antibiotikafri, CE-märkt vaginal behandling för bakteriell vaginos och beskriver dess mikrobiommodulerande verkningsmekanism samt den kliniska dokumentation som stödjer behandlingen. För ytterligare information, vänligen kontakta: Julie Waras Brogren, VD Gedea Biotech Telefon: +46 73-352 67 63 E-post: julie.brogren @gedeabiotech.com Om pHyph pHyph är en CE-märkt, antibiotikafri vaginaltablett som är godkänd enligt EU:s medicintekniska förordning (MDR) för behandling av bakteriell vaginos samt för att främja ett hälsosamt vaginalt mikrobiom. Om Gedea Biotech Gedea Biotech AB är ett svenskt kvinnohälsobolag med målsättning att förbättra kvinnors hälsa globalt genom moderna, antibiotikafria behandlingar för vanliga vaginala infektioner – behandlingar som kvinnor kan lita på för långsiktig effekt och som finns tillgängliga när de behövs. Programmet har etablerats inom EU-programmet och har en budget på 10 miljarder euro för att stödja innovationer genom hela livscykeln – från tidig forskning och proof of concept till teknologitransfer, finansiering och uppskalning av startups och små och medelstora företag.Well-Known Natural Compound Shows Unexpected Effect Against a Dreaded Pathogen
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Argyrin B Combats Diarrhea-Causing Pathogens While Preserving the Gut Microbiome Treatment with broad-spectrum antibiotics often leads to side effects, as it affects not only the pathogens but also the good" bacteria in the gut. A research team from Hannover Medical School (MHH), Saarland University Hospital (UKS), and the Helmholtz Institute for Pharmaceutical Research Saarland (HIPS) has now demonstrated that the natural compound argyrin B is highly effective against the pathogen Clostridioides difficile while largely sparing the beneficial gut microbiome. Treatment with broad-spectrum antibiotics can severely disrupt the balance of the healthy gut microbiome, allowing the bacterium to multiply unrestricted. "We were able to show that the natural compound argyrin B is highly effective against CDI: both in laboratory experiments and in a mouse model of the infection, where it significantly reduces the bacterial load," says Dr. Jennifer Herrmann, senior scientist in the department "Microbial Natural Products" at HIPS."Koksaltsprej påverkade symtom vid övre luftvägsinfektion
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Nässprej med koksaltlösning kan göra att en förkylning eller annan luftvägsinfektion blir kortare och lindrigare. Det är resultatet av en stor brittisk studie med nästan 14 000 personer där man jämförde koksaltsprej med vanlig vård och viss annan behandling. Deltagarna som använde koksaltsprej tog två sprejningar i vardera näsborren upp till sex gånger per dag från första symtom på infektion. Förutom att de var sjuka färre dagar och fick mildare besvär minskade också antalet som blev så sjuka att de till slut behövde antibiotika.
