Oil extracted from coriander, widely used in Indian and Mediterranean cuisines could be a natural alternative to common antibiotics, as scientists have found it fights against a range of toxic bacteria including superbug MRSA.
Researchers at the University of Beira Interior in Portugal found that the herb extract is resistant to a number of lethal bacteria, which cause food poisoning and infections that are resistant to drugs.
The scientists tested samples of the oil — taken from the seeds of a coriander plant — against 12 bugs and found that their growth was reduced significantly.
More importantly, most of the bacteria were killed by a solution containing less than 1.6 per cent of the oil, the Daily Mail reported. According to the researchers, the oil attacks and kills the outer membrane of bacteria cells, including salmonella, E.coli and MRSA.
“It disrupts the barrier between the membrane of bacteria cell and its environment and inhibits essential processes including respiration, which ultimately leads to the death of the bacterial cell,” said Dr. Fernanda Domingues, co-author of the study.
According to Dr. Domingues, coriander oil could help the millions who suffer from food-borne illnesses every year.
“It could become a natural alternative to common antibiotics,” she said. “We envisage the use of coriander in lotions, mouth rinses and even pills, to fight multidrug-resistant bacterial infections that otherwise could not be treated. This would significantly improve people’s quality of life,” she added.
