Gas inside us could fight wound infections, moth study shows
A new study led by the University of Reading suggests that nitric oxide, a gas naturally produced by the human body, could effectively treat skin and wound infections. Experiments on wax moth larvae demonstrated that tiny particles releasing nitric oxide significantly improved survival rates against bacterial infections, offering a potential alternative to traditional antibiotics.
Why it matters
This research offers a promising new avenue for combating antibiotic-resistant bacteria, a critical global health challenge. Developing novel treatments like nitric oxide could save lives and alleviate the burden of difficult-to-treat infections, reducing reliance on increasingly ineffective antibiotics.
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Add to Preferred Sources Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain A gas naturally produced by our own bodies could one day help treat skin and wound infections, potentially offering a new approach alongside conventional antibiotics.
A new study led by scientists at the University of Reading found that tiny particles releasing nitric oxide helped nine in 10 infected wax moth larvae survive bacterial infections, compared with around six in 10 that were not treated.
Published Nov. 3 in the Journal of Drug Delivery Science and Technology , the findings could give doctors another treatment option for infected wounds that antibiotics struggle to clear.
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