Antibiotics are a great arsenal against bacterial infections. These are used to either kill or inhibit the growth of bacteria. One of the popularly used antibiotics is penicillin. Alexander Fleming discovered it. Though antibiotics help in faster relief, they are associated with long-term and short-term side-effects, including abdominal pain, loss of appetite, diarrhoea, indigestion, etc. Moreover, long-term use of a particular antibiotic can make your body resistant to it. This means that specific antibiotic won't treat any bacterial infection in your body. To prevent any such happening and keep the side as mentioned earlier effects at bay, here are a few natural sources of antibiotics that can be extremely helpful.
Garlic
This kitchen ingredient contains a compound called allicin that has strong antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal properties. It is highly effective against multidrug-resistant strains of bacteria. Garlic is also packed with another compound called Ajoene, which effectively treats an athlete’s foot. It helps in the treatment of herpes and influenza too. Ajoene works by resisting or blocking the vital functions of bacteria like cell structure, energy production, etc. Lack of energy further leads to the death of the bacteria.
Echinacea
Echinacea is loaded with three compounds, namely carbohydrates, glycoproteins, and caffeic acid. These compounds have potent antibacterial and antifungal properties that help eliminate the growth and spread of harmful microbes. Echinacea herb can also effectively treat bacterial infection symptoms by reducing cytokines’ production that causes inflammation.
Honey
This natural antibiotic is also a skin protectant. It contains hydrogen peroxide that has some antibacterial properties. Also, honey is rich in sugar which can help in stopping the growth of certain bacteria. Honey extracts moisture from bacteria due to its low pH value and makes the microbe dehydrated, leading to its death. Honey can make the healing process faster.
Myrrh Extract
According to research published in the journal Thieme, myrrh can potentially kill bacteria like E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Candida albicans. Myrrh extract is generally available in the market in packaged form. It has a few side effects like skin rashes, diarrhoea, etc. To avoid them, you must follow the dosage instructions on the label.