Researchers at the University of Oregon have tested a revolutionary treatment combining traditional antibiotics with a simple chemical compound, demonstrating an astonishing ability to destroy stubborn bacteria in chronic wounds.

This discovery, published in the scientific journal Applied and Environmental Microbiology, offers hope to millions of patients, especially those suffering from diabetic foot ulcers, which often lead to limb amputations.

The innovative therapeutic method enhances the effectiveness of known antibiotics by adding low doses of chlorate, a simple substance that does not harm human cells at the concentrations used. Laboratory experiments showed that this combination increases antibiotic efficacy by up to ten thousand times, allowing the use of doses as low as 1% of the usual amount, thereby reducing side effects and toxicity associated with prolonged treatment.

This method addresses the root problem in chronic wounds, which is the low oxygen level in tissues, causing bacteria like Pseudomonas aeruginosa to rely on nitrate respiration to survive.

Melanie Spiro, assistant professor of biology at the University of Oregon and the study’s lead author, explained that the slow growth of bacteria makes them resistant to traditional antibiotics, which are usually tested on fast-growing bacteria in oxygen-rich conditions.

Spiro noted that adding chlorate makes bacterial cells hypersensitive to antibiotics, turning the treatment from weak performance into an effective bacteria killer, both in cell cultures and diabetic mouse models.

Despite successful laboratory results, clinical application of this method remains distant, especially since chronic infections usually involve complex bacterial communities rather than a single species. Future research will focus on understanding how drug combinations affect these diverse communities.

This study opens the door to a new approach in combating antibiotic resistance, where previously approved drugs can be used more intelligently and effectively, reducing the time, effort, and resources needed to develop new treatments.