A lotion made from pomegranates could be key to fighting MRSA infection
Chemicals found in in the skins of pomegranates could be harnessed to fight hospital superbug MRSA.
Scientists have created an ointment which uses the fruit's rind to battle strains of the superbug which are otherwise drug-resistant.
They discovered that, when used in combination with other natural ingredients, the result was a strong infection-busting compound.
A team at the University of Kingston in Surrey, which is leading the research, believe the discovery could be a vital breakthrough in infection control.
Biomolecular scientist Professor Declan Naughton said, 'A great deal of medicines come from plants but the normal approach taken by the pharmaceutical industry is to try to find one particular active molecule'.
'We found that combining three ingredients - pomegranate rind, vitamin C and a metal salt gave a much more potent effect'.
'It was a mix that fantastically increased the activity'.
New ways to fight bacterial infection are urgently needed, as the bacteria evolve and become resistant to the currently available anti-bacterial drugs.
It may take several years, however, before the research stage findings can be put through clinical testing, then introduced into the marketplace.
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