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Tomatoes could help fight off bacterial infections in your gut, a new study has found. One of the world's most widely consumed vegetables (or perhaps fruit?), they are packed with antioxidants, vitamins, and other compounds – two of which scientists at Cornell University in the US have identified for their potent bacteria-killing properties in a series of cell experiments. The research team, led by Cornell microbiologist Jeongmin Song, was interested in Salmonella, a genus of enteric bacteria that invade the intestine, often causing food poisoning. Specifically, the team focused on one typhoidal serotype of Salmonella, Salmonella enterica Typhi, which lives...

he antibacterial ingredient in some soaps, toothpastes, odor-fighting socks, and even computer keyboards is pointing scientists toward a long-sought new treatment for a parasitic disease that affects almost two billion people. Their report on how triclosan became the guiding light for future development of drugs for toxoplasmosis appears in ACS' monthly Journal of Medicinal Chemistry. In the study, Rima McLeod and colleagues point out that toxoplasmosis is one of the world's most common parasitic infections, affecting about one-third of the world population, including 80 percent of the population of Brazil. People can catch the infection, spread by the parasite Toxoplasma...

After decades of debate, questions may finally be answered about whether anti-bacterial soaps — used daily in homes, schools and elsewhere — are safe. It's an important issue because many health officials say the products offer no benefit over washing with regular soap and water. The Food and Drug Administration on Monday proposed a rule that would force makers of anti-bacterial hand soaps and body washes to prove with clinical studies that their productsare both safe to use and more effective than regular soap in preventing illness and the spread of infections. If manufacturers can't prove their claims, the products...

Introduced in the 1970s, the compound triclosan has become an increasingly popular ingredient in many antibacterial soaps and other personal-care items, such as deodorants and mouthwashes. However, as the chemical’s popularity continues to grow, a recent report has raised concerns about some frightening risks that triclosan could pose to public health. A new study published in the "Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences" has revealed that exposure to triclosan is linked with muscle function impairments in humans and mice, as well as slowing the swimming of fish. By reducing contractions in both cardiac and skeletal muscles, the chemical has...

Australian researchers have been astonished to discover a cure-all right under their noses — a honey sold in health food shops as a natural medicine. Far from being an obscure health food with dubious healing qualities, new research has shown the honey kills every type of bacteria scientists have thrown at it, including the antibiotic-resistant “superbugs” plaguing hospitals and killing patients around the world. Some bacteria have become resistant to every commonly prescribed antibacterial drug. But scientists found that Manuka honey, as it is known in New Zealand, or jelly bush honey, as it is known in Australia, killed every...

Study Proves Copper May Prevent E. Coli Spread Drug Discovery & Development - June 03, 2011 Laboratory science conducted at the University of Southampton indicates a role for copper in preventing the spread of E. coli. The World Health Organization suggests the E. coli outbreak in Germany, O104:H4, is a strain never seen before. “A study looking at copper’s efficacy against new strains of E. coli has just been completed. Although it did not specifically look at O104, all the strains investigated have died rapidly on copper,” Bill Keevil, head of the Microbiology Group and director of the Environmental Healthcare...

You can’t blame Americans for feeling as though the government is increasingly crossing boundaries and reaching into their daily lives. The Obama administration and regulatory authorities such as the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) appear to be coming at us on all fronts. The Republican-led Congress has been steadfast in its efforts to beat back the EPA. Recent committee hearings have exposed the adverse consequences that the EPA’s regulation of greenhouse gas emissions will have on the job market. Unfortunately for hardworking Americans, the cost of the EPA’s action will make energy prices higher, drive jobs overseas and force more citizens...