Maple Syrup May Help Fight Bacteria, Researchers Say

New research suggests that maple syrup may help in fighting bacterial infections. The findings published in "Applied and Environmental Biology" potentially reduces the need for antibiotics.

The study, funded by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and the Canada Research Chairs program, was headed by Nathalie Tufenjki, a chemical engineering professor from McGill University. She and her colleagues have found that concentrated maple syrup makes bacteria more susceptible to antibiotics.

Maple syrup is rich in phenolic compounds, which researchers found to be an interesting point of study due to its antioxidant and antiseptic properties, according to a report from Medical News Today. In the study, Tufenjki and her team made a concentrated extract from maple syrup, which mainly comprises phenolic compounds.

The maple syrup was bought from various local markets in Montreal and kept frozen for later use in research. In every experiment, a sample of the syrup is obtained to produce a phenolic-rich extract. This extract is then tested on different types of bacteria, such as the urinary tract infection-causing bacteria Escherichia coli and Proteus mirabilis.

The experiment showed that maple syrup had a mild antibacterial effect on the bacteria when given alone. While the team admits that the effect was only mild, they found that the extract has shown better effectiveness against the bacteria when given in conjunction with antibiotics.

According to researchers, the extract works against bacteria in various ways, making them more vulnerable to antibiotics. One mechanism is that the bacteria render bacterial cell membrane more porous, giving antibiotics better access to the microbial cells.

Researchers say that more work is needed to prove the concept of the study. "We would have to do in vivo tests, and eventually clinical trials, before we can say what the effect would be in humans," said Tufenkji in a report by CBC News. According to researchers, results of the study suggest that there is a potential way to cut down antibiotics usage and fight drug-resistant bacteria.

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