Sweetener saccharin shows surprise power against antibiotic resistance

Sugar substitute found in supermarkets can kill drug-resistant bacteria and help antibiotics work better Saccharin, the artificial sweetener used in diet foods like yoghurts and sugar-free drinks, can kill multidrug-resistant bacteria – including one of the world’s most dangerous pathogens. “Antibiotic resistance is one of the major threats to modern medicine,” said Professor Ronan McCarthy, who led the research at Brunel University of London’s Antimicrobial Innovations Centre. “Procedures such as tooth extractions and cancer treatment often rely on antibiotics to prevent or treat infection. But doctors are increasingly facing cases where the drugs no longer work.” In 2019, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) killed 1.27 million people globally, with resistant infections contributing to nearly 5 million deaths. Drug-resistant bacteria such as Acinetobacter baumannii, which causes life-threatening infections in people with a weakened immune system, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, linked to ... Read full article.