Antibiotic-resistant bacteria are one of the biggest threats to global health. Some experts predict that they will cause more deaths than cancer by 2050, unless scientists can find a way to combat the threat.

However, scientists from the UK and Germany have recently found an innovative way to prevent H. pylori infection without using antibiotics. H. pylori is a globally widespread pathogen. It is estimated that up to 70% of people worldwide are infected with this pathogen. In 2017, H. pylori was included in the WHO’s high-priority list of drug-resistant bacteria that pose the greatest threat to health.

Research by scientists from the University of Leeds (UK) and the University of Münster, Erlangen (Germany) has shown that nanoparticles loaded with curcumin and used in the right dosage prevented H.Pylori bacteria from adhering to stomach cells and against specific virulence factors of the bacteria. Curcumin – a component found in turmeric – is known to have very good anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.

The research team hopes that these nanoparticles can be used to help eliminate H. pylori and reduce antibiotic-resistant strains.