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Medieval Remedy Offers Clues for Combating Antibiotic Resistance

A 10th-century Anglo-Saxon remedy, when recreated and tested, has shown potential in fighting bacteria and slowing the development of resistance.

Researchers recreated a medieval recipe from Bald's Leechbook, a 10th-century medical text. The concoction, made from garlic, onion, bovine bile, and wine, was tested on bacterial cultures.

The medieval mixture demonstrated antimicrobial activity by damaging bacterial cell membranes and altering the expression of disease-promoting genes. It also interfered with interbacterial communication.

Crucially, three types of harmful bacteria developed resistance to the medicinal mixture much more slowly compared to conventional single-molecule antibiotics. This suggests a multi-target approach may be key.

The modern adaptation of the recipe involves brewing the ingredients in a brass vessel for nine days. In laboratory tests, it showed effectiveness against Staphylococcus aureus and its drug-resistant form, MRSA.

The study measured how the brew affected gene expression in bacteria, finding significant changes in genes related to cell membrane composition and virulence. It also reduced the bacteria's ability to form antibiotic-resisting biofilms.

When exposed to increasing concentrations, microbes developed resistance to traditional antibiotics more rapidly than to the medieval eyesalve.

While the remedy itself is impractical and potentially dangerous for direct use, researchers aim to identify its active ingredients to develop new, clinically viable multi-component drugs.

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