Scientists have discovered that saccharin, a widely used artificial sweetener, has powerful antimicrobial properties that can disrupt bacterial biofilms, trigger cell lysis, and even rearm antibiotics against resistant superbugs. The study, published in the journal EMBO Molecular Medicine, reveals that saccharin alters the stability of the bacterial cell envelope and interferes with DNA replication dynamics.
The researchers found that saccharin treatment caused Escherichia coli cells to filament and eventually lyse due to membrane bulging. Additionally, they observed that saccharin inhibited the growth of several multidrug-resistant pathogens, including carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii, and disrupted biofilm formation.
Moreover, the study demonstrated that saccharin can be used as a therapeutic agent to treat preformed biofilms, single-species infections, and polymicrobial communities. The researchers also explored the potential of saccharin to re-sensitize MDR pathogens to antibiotics like meropenem.
The findings suggest that developing non-classical antimicrobials like saccharin could be critical in controlling and treating multidrug-resistant pathogens in the future. With its ability to disrupt bacterial cell envelopes and interfere with DNA replication, saccharin has the potential to overcome classical limitations of various frontline antibiotics.
Source: https://www.news-medical.net/news/20250403/Sweetener-saccharin-revives-old-antibiotics-by-breaking-bacterial-defences.aspx