Posted on 09/21/2012 5:25:12 PM PDT by neverdem
Menachem Shoham, PhD, associate professor of biochemistry at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, has discovered novel antivirulence drugs that, without killing the bacteria, render Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) and Streptococcus pyogenes, commonly referred to as strep, harmless by preventing the production of toxins that cause disease. The promising discovery was presented this week at the Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy in San Francisco.
MRSA infections are a growing public health concern, causing 20,000 to 40,000 deaths per year in the United States alone. It is the most prevalent bacterial pathogen in hospital settings and in the community at large, with about one million documented infections per year nationally, costing an estimated $8 billion annually to treat.
The problem has become increasingly severe as the bacteria have developed a resistance to antibiotics. As result, health care providers are running out of options to treat patients suffering from antibiotic-resistant infections, like MRSA and strep, creating a dire need for alternative treatments and approaches.
"Staph bacteria are ubiquitous and normally do not cause infections, however, occasionally these bacteria become harmful due to their secretion of toxins," says Dr. Shoham. "We have discovered potential antivirulence drugs that block the production of toxins, thus rendering the bacteria harmless. Contrary to antibiotics, these new antivirulence drugs do not kill the bacteria. Since the survival of the bacteria is not threatened by this approach, the development of resistance, like that to antibiotics, is not anticipated to be a serious problem."
Dr. Shoham identified a bacterial protein, known as AgrA, as the key molecule responsible for turning on the release of toxins. AgrA, however, needs to be activated to induce toxin production. His goal was to block the activation of AgrA with a drug, thus preventing the cascade of toxin release into the blood that can lead to serious infections throughout the body.
The screening for AgrA inhibitors was initially carried out in a computer by docking libraries of many thousands of "drug-like" compounds and finding out which compounds would fit best into the activation site on AgrA. Subsequently, about 100 of the best scoring compounds were tested in the laboratory for inhibition of the production of a toxin that ruptures red blood cells. Seven of these compounds were found to be active. Testing compounds bearing chemical similarity to the original compounds lead to the discovery of additional and more potent so-called "lead" compounds.
Optimization of the initial "lead" compounds was performed by chemical synthesis of 250 new compounds bearing small but important chemical modifications on one of the initial leads. More than a dozen active compounds have been discovered by this method. The best drug candidate reduces red blood cell rupture by 95 percent without affecting bacterial growth.
Beginning this fall, Dr. Shoham and colleagues will begin testing the drug candidate in animal models.
"It is possible to inhibit virulence of MRSA without killing the bacteria," continues Dr. Shoham. "Such antivirulence drugs may be used for prophylaxis or therapy by themselves or in combination with an antibiotic. Antivirulence therapy may resensitize bacteria to antibiotics that have become ineffective by themselves." Source : Case Western Reserve University
“Why would you go to a doctor if all these alternative cures are so great?”
If something happened that I needed CPR or stitched up, then I’d go. Just about anything else will be treated at home. I’m guessing you haven’t seen what I have or spent years following alternative medicine and big pharma. Iatrogenic- theres a word.... FWIW, I graduated from the top nursing school in my state, one of the top in the country, and worked at a top teaching hospital. Follow the money.
/johnny
Here’s a case in point since you seem skeptical. My daughter developed a urinary tract infection that presented after office hours. I put her in a cool tub and gave her about 4 oz beer (pain relief and flushing.) That was followed by cranberry juice and dried cranberries. Saved me probably upwards of $100 in doctor’s bills. There are many, many remedies that have been lost thanks to the culture of big pharma. My nursing instructors were old, pre-WWII broads. They were some tough, no B.S. women. “But this practice contradicts what you just taught us...” followed by a stern look to get a clue.
O2 = Oxygen
Brushing your teeth with Baking Soda is a very good idea because you cannot swallow any flouride or other chemicals. I found an old tube of Colgate Total in the guest bathroom.
the Inactive Ingredients are
hydrated silica
glycerin
sorbitol
flavor,
PVM/MA
copolymer
sodium lauryl sulfate
cellose gum
sodium hydroxide
proplyene glycol
carrageenan
sodium sacharin
mica
titanium dioxide
FD&C blue no.1
D&C yellow no.10
Exactly what is meant by the “inactive ingrediants” term I don’t know but since the area under your tongue is the most porous place on your body if you have your underwear on. Myself, I don’t want all these chemicals being absorbed into my system when I brush my teeth.
the Active Ingredients are
Sodium flouride
Triclosan
All of which you nor I consume twice a day.
Oil of Oregano. Killer stuff.
We have a bottle of GSE "Ear Drops", which is GSE, glycerin and Tea Tree oil - the best remedy for anything on the skin. My girls thought I was nuts, but now any time they have a breakout and I say, "put some ear drops on it", they will answer with "already did".
Angstrom silver is also very good - inside and out - smaller particle size than colloidal - won't make you turn gray.
Silver is a very powerful antibiotic.
On my birth certificate, there is a spot for “Eye treatment” or somesuch, and it has AgHO3 in the box.
Silver Nitrate.
They use (or at least used to) an antibiotic treatment in the eyes to prevent infections that the infant might come in contact to from passage through the birth canal.
And Silver Sulfadiazene is still the treatment of choice for severe burns.
It promotes healing and prevents infections.
Oooopps, typo, not AgHO3, AgNO3.
I need a brighter light on my keyboard...
Thanks for the link.
I read just yesterday that Oil of Oregano will kill MRSA on contact. This oil is on my shopping list. If it can kill MRSA it should be able to kill smaller stuff I’m thinking. I’m currently trying to cure a sinus infection without antibiotics with a mixture of Coloidal Silver, Food grade H2O2 and Manuka honey. After one day of treatment I do feel the difference. I thought I might add the oregano oil to the mix as well.
For later.
Years ago I wrote a column about some Moslem clerics in Indonesia who forbade their people from getting polio shots because it was a Jewish plot to kill them.
If it weren’t for Jewish doctors, Moslems would have died in the tens of millions from polio, bacteria infections, some types of cancer, heart disease, etc.
There is no limit to the ignorance of Islamic fanatics, esp. among their clerics/mullahs and madrassasses.
I wonder if anyone has told them that this is the 21st Century, not the 9th Century?
Your welcome!
Oh. Stereo!
Would the reduction in toxin production extend beyond the individual taking the medication? If the bacteria are not killed, do they remain as an infection, only without killing the host taking the medication, yet remain a health threat to persons not taking the medication who might contract an infection from those who remain infected?
With community acquired MRSA already noted, this might only put more 'carriers' in society, (and make more need the drug to keep the infection from being harmful) rather than eliminate the harmful strains from individuals or the general environment.
It could be decades before resistance to antibiotics is no longer a factor, and even then, that would depend on finding new antibiotics.
In the meantime, people would be dependent on the drug to mitigate the effects of an increasingly universal infection only held at bay by a pharmaceutical --provided it was available, or not something to which access was controlled by say, a hostile government (like the current regime).
It’s a decent topical antibiotic that was passed over in the thirties by others that were more effective at the time. I’ve seen little concrete evidence that it is all that effective when ingested.
Silver is making something of a comeback, particularly silver nanoparticles, due to antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria such as MRSA, but these applications are environmental or topical, not internal, as far as I can see. In fabrics, used as burn wraps to prevent infection, etcetera.
I’m not at all opposed to alternative medicine and could be persuaded with a few decent studies or trials, from PubMed or similar source. I’m all ears.
Oil of oregano can also redden and peel your skin like a chemical burn. It’s powerful stuff. Don’t go applying it willy-nilly, be cautious. More is not necessarily better. Same with tea tree oil. They are both antimicrobials and are known to be useful topically, on skin, on a tooth, that sort of thing. Extra caution is in order if you’re thinking of some internal use. You can make yourself quite ill ingesting tea tree oil. Read up, learn about it before you use it.
Thanks!
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