Peppermint oil and cinnamon are effective wound healers

Peppermint oil and cinnamon can help heal bad wounds. They are a natural antibiotic that can keep wounds clean and kill any surrounding bacteria, even a ‘super-bug’ that’s resistant to all current antibiotics, a new study has found.

It’s a genuine alternative to current wound treatment, which can involve antibiotics and the cutting away of any infected flesh. But antibiotics are over-used and surgery is expensive, say researchers from the University of Massachusetts.

The researchers have found a way of packaging the compounds from peppermint and cinnamon into tiny capsules that are applied directly onto the skin surrounding wounds. In laboratory tests, [highlight]they have found the two are effective against four types of bacteria, including one ‘super bug’ that is resistant to all current antibiotics[/highlight]. The compounds also encouraged the growth of fibroblasts, cell types that are important in wound healing.

Bron: American Chemical Society Nano, 2015; 150706010055006; doi: 10.1021/acsnano.5b01696