Medical News You Can Use: The “Pour Some Sugar On Me!” Edition

Maple Syrup May Make Bacteria More Susceptible To Antibiotics

According to Canadian researchers, maple syrup may have the potential to make bacteria more susceptible to antibiotics, thus leading to lower usage of the medicines. That is the finding of a study recently published in “Applied and Environmental Microbiology.” The syrup extract also contributed towards destroying biofilms.

Using common maple syrup, researchers at McGill University in Montreal produced an extract that mainly consisted of phenolic compounds. Then they tested the extract on certain bacteria that cause infections of the colon or urinary tract (E. coli and Proteus mirabilis).

Used by itself, the extract had a mild effect against bacteria. But in combination with antibiotics, the syrup was highly effective. It acted synergistically with antibiotics in destroying resistant biofilms, which are common in catheter-related infections of the urinary tract.

“We would have to do in vivo tests, and eventually clinical trials, before we can say what the effect would be in humans,” said study author Nathalie Tufenkji. But already now, the findings suggest a potentially simple and cost effective approach for reducing the use of antibiotics. The syrup extract could, for example, be incorporated into antibiotic capsules, she said.