Apparently, the next big thing in fighting our looming global health crisis is oyster blood.
Some context: over the years, various strains of bacteria have developed resistance to the antibiotics we’ve historically used to treat them, meaning those drugs are no longer able to fight off the germs that make us sick. However, Australian scientists have discovered that a substance – named hemolymph proteins – in the blood of Sydney rock oysters might hold the key to taking down antibiotic-resistant bacteria.
According to the researchers, these proteins don’t just kill bacteria – they also supercharge antibiotics. “The oyster hemolymph proteins were found to prevent biofilm formation and disrupt biofilms, so the bacteria remain available to antibiotic exposure at lower doses,” said Kirsten Benkendorff, a marine scientist and one of the study’s authors.
Translation? These proteins could stop bacteria from building the protective fortresses that make them nearly impossible to kill.
The study also found that these antimicrobial proteins can directly destroy bacteria like Streptococcus pneumoniae (which causes pneumonia) and even boost antibiotic effectiveness by up to 32 times. In further good news: they’re not toxic to human cells. So yeah, oysters might just become the heroes in our fight against superbugs.
“Most organisms have natural defense mechanisms to protect themselves against infection,” Benkendorff added. “Oysters are constantly filtering bacteria from the water, so they are a good place to look for potential antibiotics.”
But don’t get too excited about popping an oyster-blood pill just yet. Developing this into an actual antibiotic is still a long way off. For now, though, it’s another reason to keep slurping these slimy little guys. “Oysters contain zinc, which boosts the immune system,” said Benkendorff, “and they have really good polyunsaturated fatty acids and vitamins that also help modulate immunity.”
So there you have it – oyster blood might just save humanity, meaning currently these ocean-dwelling filter feeders are set to do more for us than most billionaires.
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