European Chestnut Leaf Extract Disarms Staphylococcus aureus [and MRSA]

Sci-News.com ^ | 2015 August 23 | Sci-News.com

[CutePuppy]

Leaves of the European chestnut (Castanea sativa) contain ingredients with the power to block the virulence and pathogenesis of Staphylococcus aureus without detectable resistance, a new study has found.

Rather than killing Staphylococcus aureus, the chestnut leaf extract — rich in oleanene and ursene derivatives (pentacyclic triterpenes) — works by taking away bacteria's weapons, essentially shutting off the ability of the bacteria to create toxins that cause tissue damage.

"We have demonstrated in the lab that our extract disarms even the hyper-virulent MRSA (methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) strains capable of causing serious infections in healthy athletes," said Dr Cassandra Quave of Emory University, lead author on the study, published in the journal PLoS ONE.

"At the same time, the extract doesn't disturb the normal, healthy bacteria on human skin. It's all about restoring balance."

The scientists steeped chestnut leaves in solvents to extract their chemical ingredients.

They produced an extract of 94 chemicals, of which ursene and oleanene based compounds are the most active.

Tests showed that the extract inhibits the ability of Staphylococcus aureus to communicate with one another, a process known as quorum sensing. MRSA uses this quorum-sensing signaling system to manufacture toxins and ramp up its virulence. ..... < snip >

..... A single dose of the extract, at 50 micrograms, cleared up MRSA skin lesions in lab mice, stopping tissue damage and red blood cell damage.

The extract does not lose activity, or become resistant, even after two weeks of repeated exposure.

And tests on human skin cells in a lab dish showed that the botanical extract does not harm the skin cells, or the normal skin microflora. .....

[Smokin' Joe]

You’re welcome, PA Engineer!

[Bob434]

[[There are plenty of harmless and even useful bacteria and viruses in human bodies.]]

True, however, Staph is kinda worrying (although I believe we have a form of ‘normal’ staph and mrsa staff that lives naturally in our noses)

1 in 3 people carry staff, and more and ore people are carrying mrsa-

The concerning part is when it gets into your system and multiplies

[[ In which case the “dormant” would not really be the proper adjective anymore.]]

Yeah, I wasn’t sure the adjective- perhaps ‘inactivated’?

[CutePuppy]

[[Yeah, I wasn’t sure the adjective- perhaps ‘inactivated’?]]

Yes, the extract deactivates the mechanism of toxin production and virulence in S.aureus, without killing the bacteria and potentially introducing microflora imbalance in some individuals, which often happens with broad spectrum antibiotics.

The parallel would be something like defanging and/or removing the venom glands of a snake.

[Bob434]

[[The parallel would be something like defanging and/or removing the venom glands of a snake.]]

They can still give you salmonella

[CutePuppy]

[[They can still give you salmonella]]

So don't eat raw snake sashimi or sushi ;-)   Eat yummy unagi or anago (sweet eel) instead. If you are more adventurous, go to expert licensed sushi master and try fugu (puffer fish / blowfish) sashimi.

The poison (tetrodotoxin may be up to 1200 times deadlier than cyanide) from one fugu may kill up to 30 people, but if the chef does his job right, the experience is sublime.

[Bob434]

[[If you are more adventurous, go to expert licensed sushi master and try fugu (puffer fish / blowfish) sashimi. ]]

I ate that only once in my life, and I died, but I took some vitamins and I’m much better now

[cycjec]

thanks!