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These fatty acids have proven to be bacteriostatic against bacteria which are causing Leprosy (Mycobacterium leprae) Tuberculosis (Mycobacterium tuberculosis) and other acid-resistant bacterias like : lactobacillus acnes which is mainly responsible for acne.
Until the 1940’s chaulmoogra oil was the only effective treatment for leprosy patients. After this period other medication became available on the market, since then chaulmoogra oil became less popular. It still explain why there are many chaulmoogra trees around former leprosy clinics.
Multidrug resistance (MDR)
One of the major problems of antibiotics today is that bacteria are getting resistant for new antibiotics. Microbiological cells are capable of producing so called Multi-Drug resistance pumps (MDR). These MDR’s literarily pump the antimicrobiological drugs out of the cells before they can get active.
5’-methoxyhydnocarpin (5’-MCH).
North-american Indians used berberine, a substance produced by the medical plant Berberis, to treat infections. Scientists found out that the pure berberine was slightly antibiotic, but the extract of the whole plant, worked strongly. So there should be a second substance.
Scientists isolated this substance which reinforces the working of berberine called 5’-methoxyhydnocarpine (5’-MHC). They have discovered that 5’-MCH, blocks the MDR-pump. This synergistic effect explains why the combination of (a relative weak) Berberine with 5’-MCH can be very effective.
Unsaponifiable fraction of chaulmoogra oil is largely composed of 5’-MHC (a derivative of hydnocarpic acid). The combination of the antibacterial fatty acids in chaulmoogra oil with the 5’-MCH may explain why chaulmoogra is effective in treating infections like acne.
The pharmaceutical industry hardly put any effort in searching two different substances which reinforces each others working, like this. And might have missed an interesting chance. Multi active ingredients can be an example to fight unwanted bacteria such as lactobacillus acnes.
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