At the 235th national meeting of the American Chemical Society researchers described how proteins in gator blood may provide a source of powerful new antibiotics to help fight infections associated with diabetic ulcers, severe burns, and "superbugs" that are resistant to conventional medication.
The study showed that alligator's blood has antimicrobial activity, which can combat diseases such as Candida albicans yeast infections, which are a serious problem in AIDS patients and transplant recipients, who have weakened immune systems.
"We're very excited about the potential of these alligator blood proteins as both antibacterial and antifungal agents," says study co-author Mark Merchant, Ph.D., a biochemist at McNeese State University in Lake Charles, La. "There's a real possibility that you could be treated with an alligator blood product one day."
In laboratories small amounts of alligator protein extracts have killed bacteria, including MRSA, which is becoming prominent problem in our health care setting. Similar antimicrobial substances might also be found in related animals such as crocodiles, says Merchant who is leading the study.
