With onions against antibiotic resistance

Doctors are discovering the potentiating effect of certain onions on antibiotics

Researchers now found that the antibacterial properties of a certain type of onion could be used in the future to enhance the effects of antibiotic treatments. For example, this onion species could be the key to combating antibiotic resistance in tuberculosis pathogens.

A team of scientists from Birkbeck, UCL, the University of Greenwich, the University of East London and the Royal Free Hospital found in their study that the antibacterial properties of Persian shallots could be used to enhance the effects of antibiotics. The physicians published the results of their study in the English-language scientific journal "Scientific Reports".

One particular type of onion has tremendous potential as a source of development for new antibiotics. (Image: M.studio/fotolia.com)

More and more pathogens of bacterial infections develop resistance to antibiotics

If patients suffer from a bacterial infection, an antibiotic can be prescribed to those affected. In the case of tuberculosis, a mixture of four antibiotics is likely to be prescribed, including isoniazid and rifampicin. Unfortunately, pathogens in bacterial infections are increasingly developing resistance to the antibiotics.

We need new classes of antibacterial agents to combat antibiotic resistance

As a result, antibiotics lose the ability to effectively fight or kill harmful bacteria. Thus, the bacteria can continue to grow, inflict further damage on the patient and spread among the population. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop new classes of antibacterial agents to combat antibiotic resistance, the experts explain.

Scientists study Persian shallot chemical compounds

The research team led by Dr. med. Sanjib Bhakta and Professor Simon Gibbons investigated the so-called Persian shallot and its antibacterial effect in the current study. They synthesized the chemical compounds that are present in these plants to better understand and optimize their antibacterial potential.

They tested four different synthesized compounds, all of which caused a significant reduction in the presence of the bacteria in multi-drug resistant tuberculosis. The most promising compound inhibited the growth of isolated tuberculosis cells by more than 99.9 percent.

Millions of people are infected with multi-drug resistant tuberculosis

The team concludes that the chemical compounds could serve as a template for the discovery of new drugs to control tuberculosis strains that have previously developed resistance to antibacterial drugs. Dr. Bhakta of Birkbeck's Department of Biological Sciences said: "In spite of a concerted worldwide effort to prevent the spread of tuberculosis, around 10 million new cases and two million deaths were reported in 2016.

Worldwide, 50 million people are currently infected with multi-drug resistant tuberculosis. "This shows just how important the development of new antibacterial agents is.

Is the dangerous drug resistance reversible?

"In the search for new antibacterial agents, we focus on molecules that are so strong that they can be independently developed as new agents. However, in this study, we show that inhibiting the intrinsic resistance properties of tuberculosis can enhance the effects of existing antibiotic treatments and reverse the existing drug resistance, "adds Dr. Bhakta added in a press release from University College London.

Further research is needed

Natural products from plants and microbes have enormous potential as a source of new antibiotics, said Professor Gibbons of University College London. Plants, such as the Persian scallion, produce chemicals to repel microbes in their environment. Further research, according to the experts, must focus on discovering new forms of antibiotics and better understanding their mode of action. (As)