a new scientific recipe against resistant microbes

Among the properties that science is revealing in the leaves, stems, roots or fruits of plants, it is worth highlighting the promising biomedical applications of chili (Potatoes). And, especially, one of its varieties: the so-called chile de árbol, which is usually used as an ingredient in sauces in Mexican cuisine.

The key is hidden in capsaicin, the substance that gives this fruit its characteristic spiciness and that has been used for centuries not only by gastronomy, but also by traditional medicine as a remedy for coughs, digestive disorders, etc.

Now, recent research has found that this compound also has an interesting antimicrobial effect.

The threat of super microbes

According to data reported by the United Nations Organization (UN), it is expected that in 2050 about 10 million people will die due to diseases caused by microorganisms resistant to current drugs.

In fact, the World Health Organization (WHO) classifies antimicrobial resistance as a public health threat that puts humanity at risk. Of particular concern is the increase in deaths among infected children and young adults.

And what is this situation due to? Treatments against microbial diseases are not working as they should due to the misuse of drugs: overmedication causes bacteria to evolve and survive the action of antibiotics and fungicides.

That is why it is very important to develop advanced technologies that allow us to manufacture new formulas with compounds such as capsaicin, which unfortunately are not immune to the extraordinary “evasion” capacity of pathogenic microorganisms.

And here nanotechnology enters the scene, capable of improving and increasing the antimicrobial effect of drugs.

What is nanotechnology?

This new science focuses on studying how to manipulate, modify and control matter that we cannot see with the naked eye. We are talking about very small sizes, on the order of billionths of a meter.

Modifying matter at these tiny scales can give it new and better properties. This is how, for example, cosmetics or materials that absorb pollutants from the environment are created and energy is produced using tiny solar cells.

Nanomedicine is in charge of its applications for health, thanks to the development of tools and devices with high precision and efficiency. Nanomaterials or nanoparticles (particles that can only be seen with very powerful microscopes) are designed to specifically target and kill cancer cells without harming healthy cells, or carry drugs and release them to where the problem is.

And also to address the issue at hand: attack bacteria and fungi to prevent their growth.

Nanomaterials in action

Specifically, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved titanium dioxide and zinc oxide (TiO₂ and ZnO, respectively) for human consumption. At macroscopic size they are metallic and very shiny materials, but at the nanometer scale they appear as a very fine white powder.

According to a study that we have recently published, both materials together can attack bacteria and fungi. And what is even better: they can be combined with compounds that come from plants.

In this way, the union of titanium dioxide and zinc oxide could help us give capsaicin the necessary push to amplify its antimicrobial abilities.

Although much remains to be investigated, this finding is a promising start that opens up a range of options to combat microbial diseases not only with capsaicin, but also with compounds extracted from other plant species.

Alejandro Pérez Larios, Professor of Chemistry and Catalysis Reader, University of Guadalajara and Noé Rodríguez Barajas, PhD candidate in Biosciences, University of Guadalajara

This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original.