Coriander – A Natural Remedy Against Superbugs

Researchers have discovered that coriander oil has the capability to kill several strains of lethal bacteria in lab tests.

Coriander also called Chinese parsley or cilantro is an aromatic herb that’s widely used in Asian and Mediterranean cuisine. For centuries, the oil produced from coriander seeds has been linked to several health benefits, including aiding digestion, easing cramps, pain relief, fighting nausea & treating fungal infections.

Scientists from the University of Beira Interior in Portugal say coriander oil cut the growth of twelve bacterial species, including the MRSA superbug, salmonella and E. coli. Most bacterial strains were destroyed by solutions containing as little as 1.6% of coriander oil.

The results show that coriander oil damaged the membrane that surrounds the bacterial cell, thereby disrupting the barrier between the bacterial cell & its environment and inhibiting vital processes such as respiration, which eventually results in the death of the cell.

However, the coriander oil didn’t work against 2 types of bacteria, Enterococcus faecalis & Bacillus cereus.

These results validate the use of coriander, not just as a food flavoring agent, but also as a food preservative to check bacterial food spoilage.

Coriander could soon become the natural alternative to commonly used antibiotics for curing a whole host of infections. Scientists envisage the use of coriander in mouth rinses, lotions & even pills to combat multidrug-resistant bacterial infections which otherwise couldn’t be treated, thus significantly improving people’s quality of life.

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Copper Utensils Destroy E.coli Strains

A study by the University of Southampton reveals that cooking in copper vessels helps prevent cross contamination of food items with Escherichia coli bacteria.

According to the WHO, the E. coli outbreak in Germany includes a new E. coli strain that’s never occurred before.

Scientists claim that they have completed analysis on the new E. coli strains and findings reveal that these new strains have been killed on a copper surface.

The study demonstrated that the presence of ten million E. coli bacteria on a dry copper surface had been removed in under 10 mins. It’s expected that complete removal of bacteria on a wet copper surface can be achieved within 45 min.

Hand wash and food preparation are the major areas of concern because of cross-contamination. The use of copper utensils in food preparation areas would destroy E-coli bugs that get deposited on work surfaces. This reduces cross-contamination risk & checks the spread of infection.

The rod-shaped E.coli bacteria are commonly present in the lower intestines of humans & warm blooded animals and can trigger life threatening infections.

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Sharing Musical Instruments Spreads Germs

 A pilot study shows that disease-causing germs live for a number of days in musical wind instruments such as the saxophone, clarinet and flute.

Every year, thousands of kids in elementary & high school share musical instruments but there isn’t any recognized standard for cleaning these instruments. Disease-causing germs tend to survive on commonly shared wind instruments for 1-2 days.

 

The researchers found living bacteria and also mold or yeast in samples collected from 20 clarinets, saxophones and flutes.Wooden reeds & mouthpieces harbored the largest quantities of bacteria.

Early research has revealed that shared musical instruments harbor bacteria & people playing them suffer from recurring sore throats & airway inflammation.

The researchers from Tufts University School of Medicine recommend proper cleaning of musical instruments, especially in schools.

Prostate Biopsies May Cause Potentially Lethal Infections

There is an increasing risk that  prostate biopsies may lead to infection.

Needle biopsies performed after elevated PSA readings, are increasingly leading to infection by antibiotic-resistant bacteria like E. coli.

Among the scores of males screened for prostate cancer every year, doctors are discovering an alarming trend: A growing number of people are falling sick from potentially deadly, drug-resistant infections.

Recent studies have revealed that people undergoing regular needle biopsy tests are falling critically ill & dying from lethal bacterial infections.

The needle used in performing a prostate biopsy is inserted through the rectum en route to the prostate. Now, this is repeatedly done during a single procedure, creating the danger that bacteria present in the bowel moves into the prostate, the bladder & beyond.

There is a possibility that 2 out of every 100 males undergoing biopsies develop sepsis, a deadly blood infection.

The findings present more evidence that PSA & follow-up tests aren’t necessarily benign.

Public Soap Dispensers Are Bacteria Laden

Public health authorities recommend scrubbing hands regularly with soap & warm water.

But, do you know it could get you sick?

Most public soap dispensers are contaminated with infectious bacteria. When people scrub their hands with bacteria-contaminated soap, increased levels of bacteria remain on their hands once they’re done washing, and more germs are transferred on to the surfaces touched by them.

Many public restrooms have bulk-soap dispensers that are frequently refilled with liquid soap, and such dispensers are seldom, if ever, cleaned.

Microbe-laden soap dispensers can trigger health problems like urinary tract infections, eye infections and rashes.

Even though most strains of Escherichia coli bacteria are quite harmless, some could lead to serious food poisoning.

These findings suggest that public health officials may consider re-examining the types of soap dispensers used in public places and methods used to clean them.

 Using soap containers with replaceable bags or sealed cartridges that have their own nozzle are options to be considered.

It’s still healthy to wash hands regularly & often, with regular everyday soap rather than antimicrobial versions & alcohol-based hand sanitizers.

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