At a Glance
- Saccharin, an artificial sweetener in sugar-free products, has been found to kill antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Thus, saccharin offers potential as a treatment for antimicrobial resistance, a growing global health crisis.
- Researchers discovered that saccharin damages the bacterial cell wall, causing distortion and rupture. This allows antibiotics to penetrate and overcome the bacteria’s resistance mechanisms.
- The study revealed that saccharin can stop bacterial growth, disrupt DNA replication, and prevent biofilm formation, further enhancing its potential as a treatment against resistant infections.
- Saccharin was tested in a hydrogel wound dressing and proved more effective than current silver-based antimicrobial dressings, suggesting it could offer new options for medical treatments beyond infection control.
- This discovery is significant as saccharin, a substance with over 100 years of use, could be repurposed to combat antibiotic resistance and enhance existing antibiotics, offering a cost-effective solution.
Saccharin, an artificial sweetener commonly found in sugar-free products like diet sodas and yogurts, could hold an unexpected power in the fight against antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Researchers at Brunel University of London have discovered that saccharin can kill bacteria, including some of the world’s most dangerous pathogens resistant to multiple drugs. This groundbreaking finding, published in EMBO Molecular Medicine, highlights the potential for saccharin to be used in new treatments to tackle antimicrobial resistance (AMR), a growing global health crisis.
Antimicrobial resistance is a major threat to modern medicine, with resistant infections causing millions of deaths worldwide. These infections, caused by bacteria like Acinetobacter baumannii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, are resistant to commonly used antibiotics, making them difficult to treat. Prof. Ronan McCarthy and his team discovered that saccharin works by damaging the bacterial cell wall, causing the bacteria to distort and eventually burst. This damage kills the bacteria and allows antibiotics to penetrate and overpower the bacteria’s resistance mechanisms.
The study also found that saccharin can stop bacteria from growing, disrupt DNA replication, and prevent the formation of biofilms—protective layers that bacteria use to survive in hostile environments, including when exposed to antibiotics. The researchers further tested saccharin’s potential in a hydrogel wound dressing, showing that it was more effective than current silver-based antimicrobial dressings used in hospitals. This suggests saccharin could be used in medical treatments beyond just fighting infections, providing a new option for wound care.
This discovery is exciting because it shows that an existing substance—saccharin, which has been part of the human diet for over 100 years—can be repurposed to help address the global challenge of antibiotic resistance. As new antibiotics are slow to develop and the need for solutions grows more urgent, saccharin could offer a cost-effective way to enhance the effectiveness of existing antibiotics and help treat some of the most dangerous drug-resistant bacteria.
References
- Jarvis, H. & Brunel University. (n.d.). Artificial sweetener shows surprising power to overcome antibiotic resistance. Phys.Org; Brunel University. Retrieved 7 April 2025, from https://phys.org/news/2025-04-artificial-sweetener-power-antibiotic-resistance.html
- De Dios, R., Gadar, K., Proctor, C. R., Maslova, E., Han, J., Soliman, M. A. N., Krawiel, D., Dunbar, E. L., Singh, B., Peros, S., Killelea, T., Warnke, A.-L., Haugland, M. M., Bolt, E. L., Lentz, C. S., Rudolph, C. J., & McCarthy, R. R. (2025). Saccharin disrupts bacterial cell envelope stability and interferes with DNA replication dynamics. EMBO Molecular Medicine. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44321-025-00219-1
