Cinnamon oil could override antibiotics in the prevention of superbugs

As antibiotics become less effective against superbugs, a Swinburne University of Technology researcher discovered that cinnamon oil could be part of the solution

Dr. Sanjida Halim Topa is focused on traditional agents to alter the behavior of bacteria rather than killing bacteria.

As part of her doctoral studies, she is studying cinnamaldehyde, a major component of cinnamon essential oil

"Humans have long used natural products to treat infections, and we focus on more and more about these antimicrobial compounds, and natural products can offer a promising solution to this problem, "said Topa. inhibited biofilm development.The biofilm is a sticky film of bacteria, such as the plaque that forms on the teeth, which causes infections that resist even the most powerful antibiotics.

Alternatives to antibiotics for chronic biofilm infections, which can occur with urinary catheters and artificial joints, are urgently needed. Although many previous studies have reported antimicrobial activity of cinnamon essential oil, it is not widely used in the pharmaceutical industry, said Topa. " We sought to determine the molecular activity of this oil, particularly cinnamaldehyde. . It is the compound that gives its flavor to cinnamon. "

Rather than killing bacteria, Topa changed the behavior of bacteria by disrupting bacterial communication to prevent biofilm formation.

" We hypothesized that Use of natural antimicrobials, such as essential oils, could interfere in the formation of biofilm. Thus, we focused on the impact of different concentrations of cinnamaldehyde in different stages of biofilm development. "

Topa tested the effect of different concentrations of cinnamaldehyde on biofilms formed from the pathogenic strain of pseudomonas aeruginosa

The sublethal concentration of cinnamaldehyde controlled the dispersion of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and the development of the biofilm.

Dr. Topa is currently studying the incorporation of cinnamaldehyde into nanofibers in dressings

Topa's research was published in Microbiology.

was undertaken with colleagues from the University of Technology from Nanyang to Singapore.