Maple syrup could help fight bacterial infections, Canadian scientists find

Maple syrup is once again making headlines forbeing therockstar condimentthat every Canadianknowsit is, but it's not the culinary worldthat'sbuzzing this time it's the medical world.

Newly releasedresearch from McGill University in Montreal suggests that concentrated maple syrup extract may actually help fight bacterial infections, potentially reducingthe need for antibiotics around the world.

"Combining maple syrup extract with common antibiotics could increase the microbes' susceptibility, leading to lower antibiotic usage," reads a press release issued by the university Friday. "Overuse of antibiotics fuels the emergence of drug-resistant bacteria, which has become a major public-health concern worldwide."

The releaseexplains how scientists at the school's department of chemical engineeringusedmaple syrup samples, purchased at local markets inMontreal, topreparea "concentrated extract of maple syrup that consists mainly of phenolic compounds," a class of aromatic organic chemicals.

Researchers then tested this extract's effect on "infection-causing strains of certain bacteria, includingE.coliandProteus mirabilis(a common cause of urinary tract infection)."

While the teamadmits in their findings that the extract was only "mildly effective" in combating bacteria on its own, it was found to be quite effective when combined with antibiotics.

More specifically, theextract was observed acting "synergistically with antibiotics" to destroy the "resistant communities of bacteria" commonly presentin difficult-to-treat infections (like those involving the urinary tract.)

These bacterial communities, known as "biofilms," are notoriously resistant to antibiotic treatment a problem that costs theU.S. healthcare system more than $5 billion every yearaccording to a 2008 paperby University of WashingtonbioengineeringprofessorJamesBryers.

Does maple syrup hold the key to beating drug-resistant bacteria?

"We would have to do in vivo tests, and eventually clinical trials, before we can say what the effect would be in humans," said lead researcherNathalie Tufenkjiin a statement. "But the findings suggest a potentially simple and effective approach for reducing antibiotic usage. I could see maple syrup extract being incorporated eventually, for example, into the capsules of antibiotics."

Funding fortheir research was provided by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and the Canada Research Chairs program.

The team's findings are set to be publishedin the journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology this May.