Antibacterial agents coat everything from soap to cutting boards. Unfortunately, there are new concerns that the bacteria the agents target may become resistant.
Now, Eric Johnson and Byron Brehm-Stecher, scientists with the Food Research Institute at UW-Madison, have found new hope in herbs and flowers.
The researchers first realized this potential after reports that green tea drinkers had substantially lower amounts of tooth decay than the population at large.
Green tea contains nerolidol, a sesquiterpenoid responsible for its distinctive taste.
Sesquiterpenoids naturally give characteristic aromas to herbs, spices and flowers. Johnson and Brehm-Stecher found that when coupled with some antibacterial agents, the new concoction is far more lethal to the bacteria.
Another advantage to sesquiterpenoids is their longevity. Traditional antibacterial agents have a noticeably shorter lifespan than sesquiterpenoids.
