VATIS UPDATE Article

Researchers from Queensland University of Technology (QUT), Australia, and biotech company HFPA, Australia, are hoping to turn a native Australian plant into a major new antibiotic after discovering the plant possesses antibacterial activity equivalent to some antibiotics currently used to treat Golden Staph infections. The research team is conducting pre-clinical testing and plans to go to clinical trials within 12 months.

“We have identified the compound within the plant – known as species 8472 – responsible for its antibacterial activity. This compound has been found to be as efficient against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (Golden Staph) as the current standard antibiotic treatments,” said Dr. Trudi Collet, at QUT. Dr. Collet’s group is working with Health Focus Products Australia Pty Ltd (HFPA) and has applied for further Australian Government funding.

“The relatively common Australian plant was not currently used for medicinal purposes and had potential. Our tests found that crude extracts from species 8472 are also effective against bacteria such as Streptococcus pyogenes, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Bacillus cereus, vancomycin-resistant enterococci, Proteus spp., Acinetobacter baumannii and E.coli which can cause serious infection and delay healing,” said Dr. Collet.