Moth Study Finds Gut Gas Could Fight Wound Infections
Researchers at the University of Reading have developed nitric oxide-releasing particles that successfully treated bacterial infections in wax moth larvae. This discovery offers a potential alternative to traditional antibiotics, which are becoming less effective due to rising bacterial resistance.
Why it matters
Developing new ways to combat antibiotic-resistant bacteria is a critical priority for global public health.
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 ten infected wax moth larvae survive bacterial infections, compared with around six in ten that were not treated.
Published today (Tuesday, 3 November) 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.
Professor Vitaliy Khutoryanskiy, who led the research from the University of Reading's School of Pharmacy, said: "With bacteria becoming harder to kill with antibiotics, we urgently need treatments that work in a different way.
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