Israeli scientists say they used natural chemicals to speed up the healing of pigs’ wounds. They hope to develop a substance that is beneficial to humans, and they say that it may be an “alternative antibiotic in the future.”
Dindolilmeten (DM) is found in broccoli, cauliflower and other vegetables. A study by Ben Gurion University found that the effects of bacteria on laboratory conditions can affect their ability to function.
The scientists each took pigs with multiple wounds and treated their wounds with antibiotics or dime. Wounds treated with antibiotics took an average of 10 days to heal completely, and a blood-based ointment took five days to heal.
Prof. Arial Kushmaro and his colleagues presented their findings in Peer-reviewed Journal of Pharmaceuticals, And they are preparing the chemical for animal fat. They are also examining whether animal supplements have health benefits.
“The wounds we have seen in our experiment will heal faster when they are treated with dim,” Kushmaro told the Times of Israel.
They see why.
“Antibiotics kill the bacterial coating on the wound. A new layer of tissue grows, but you also have dead tissue and dead bacteria. In dim, the bacteria are not killed properly, there is no dead tissue cover and no dead bacteria, so closing is fast.
The team’s long-term goal is to test DMM for human wounds and help launch a new approach to human medicine. Kushmaro described the research as interesting. “This is a game-changing and new concept for antimicrobial therapy,” Kushmaro said.
He added that although the procedure is very different from antibiotics, antibiotics are now available and could be a key component in the fight against bacteria in the future.
Broccoli, Dindolilmetan Common Source (Ketsmirnova by iStock by Getty Images)
DM disconnects bacteria, similar to the signal of an infectious agent that interferes with radio or cell phone communication. “Bacteria‘ talk ’to each other using chemical signals and close or block this connection, isolating each bacterium on its own,” Kushmaro said.
“This interaction stimulates bacteria to express dangerous genes, and when they do not, they become more vulnerable and more vulnerable to antibiotics and immune systems.”
Description of a scientist examining bacteria in a petri dish (Silverville by iStock by Getty Images)
There is a growing interest in the ability of bacteria to harm communication, and Kushmaro’s research is expected to make a significant contribution.
Kushmaro and his colleagues, including Dr. Carina Golberg and Professor Robert Mark, are hoping to get approved animal products within five years. DIM is used for some cancer treatments, but it takes time to develop and approve new uses, so Kushmaro believes it will take more than a decade for any product to be created for humans.
In the long run, however, he is very optimistic about his potential.
“The idea of narrowing the relationship between bacteria in some way is more promising than antibiotics,” Kushmaro said. “This could be an antibiotic option for the future.”
