Deadly Bacteria Crumble Under Common Sweetener Saccharin | Image Source: www.news-medical.net
LONDON, UK, April 3, 2025 – In an advance that dispels the line between daily food items and powerful medical interventions, scientists have discovered that saccharin, the artificial sweetener associated with soda and sugar-free treatments, can be the key to fighting one of the greatest threats of our time: antibiotic-resistant bacteria. According to a comprehensive study published in EMBO Molecular Medicine, saccarin has the power not only to weaken bacteria, but to kill them, offering a new amazing ally in the world war against drug-resistant infections.
The results, led by Professor Ronan McCarthy and a team at Brunel University’s Centre for Antimicrobial Innovation, suggest that saccharin could become a cornerstone of future treatment strategies, particularly against deadly pathogens such as Acinetobacter Baumannii and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. These bacteria, often tracked in hospitals and dams in vulnerable patients, are now considered a World Health Organization priority threat because of their near immunity from current antibiotics.
What makes saccarin deadly for bacteria?
Far from being a passive sweetener, saccharin causes damage within bacterial cells. According to the results of the research team, it physically alters the bacterial membranes, essentially piercing holes in their protective walls. This structural engagement causes cell deformation and bursting, a process called lysis. More than a mechanical collapse, the action of saccharin seems to have a biochemical domino effect that weakens the bacterial defences of the interior.
Professor McCarthy explained the double attack mechanism: “Saccharin breaks the walls of bacterial pathogens, causing them to deform and eventually break, killing bacteria. Interestingly, this damage allows antibiotics to enter, crushing their resistance systems. “
This means saccharin not only kills bacteria outright but also enhances the effectiveness of existing antibiotics—a welcome surprise in an era where drug discovery is painfully slow and expensive.
How does saccarin affect bacterial DNA?
The study was a step further to explore the internal functioning of the bacterial cell. Using fluorescent microscopy and genetic sequencing, researchers observed that saccharin throws bacterial DNA replication into uprooting. Usually, bacteria replicate DNA in a strictly regulated process, but saccarin-treated cells grow abnormally long and do not divide. DNA replication points (original and termination locations) were mistakenly multiplied, indicating degradation of cell control mechanisms.
This chaos seems derived from activation of emergency DNA repair systems. When bacteria detect internal damage, they try to reproduce their DNA from several points: an effort to save themselves that ironically leads to their disappearance. These cascade errors finally cause the uncontrollable construction of DNA, crushing the cell and pushing towards self-destruction.
Can the saccarin stop the biofilms and the beautiful bugs?
Yeah, and it’s important. Bacteria are usually protected in biofilms, dense layers that act as shielded bunkers against antibiotics. These biofilms are formed in medical devices, injuries and even in the lungs of patients with chronic infections. According to the researchers, saccharin not only prevents these biofilms from forming, but can also break down existing ones, including those made by multiple bacterial species working together.
Saccarin was significantly effective when tested against notoriously hard polymicrobial biopelicles (including combinations of P. aeruginosa, A. Baumannii and S. aureus). Even in antibiotic resistant strains of carbapenem, often considered as advanced drugs, sweetener could increase antibiotic penetration and reduce bacterial survival. This synergistic effect could provide clinicians with a second desperately needed wind in their fight against drug-resistant infections.
Is the bag safe for medical use?
Here is the kicker: Saccharin is already widely consumed in food and drink, and its human safety profile is well established. Although their impact on the intestinal microbiome continues to be studied, concentrations used in antimicrobial applications are carefully monitored. What makes this discovery so promising is that saccharin can be integrated into practical treatments almost immediately, unlike new antibiotics that require years of development and clinical trials.
To prove its real potential, the research team created a saccarine-based hydrogel and applied it to burn wounds in a pig skin model. The results were surprising: the saccharin gel exceeded the commercial flat-alginate dressing in reducing the bacterial load. This opens the door to the use of the bag for injury care, especially in cases prone to resistant infections such as burns, surgical injuries and diabetic ulcers.
How does this change the fight against antimicrobial resistance?
Antimicrobial resistance is often called ”silent pandemic.” In 2019 alone, it contributed to nearly 5 million deaths worldwide, with 1.27 million deaths directly caused by resistant infections, according to WHO. These statistics are not only figures, they represent real people who have suffered from infections that medicine could no longer treat. As traditional antibiotics lose their power, the search for alternative therapies has become more urgent than ever.
Professor McCarthy made it clear: “We need new drugs to treat resistant infections, and saccarin could represent a new therapeutic approach with an exciting promise. »
This “off-the-shelf” solution could fill a critical gap, especially since the development of new antibiotics has been slow, risky, and cost-prohibitive.
How is saccarin compared to other experimental approaches?
Curiously, saccharin is not the only unconventional compound under microscope. Another team of researchers recently developed a clinical quality chewing gum based on Lablab purpureus (lab beans) containing an antiviral protein called FRIL. Tested in a chewing simulator (a machine that mimics chewing), gums neutralize up to 95% of viruses such as influenza A and herpes simplex in minutes. Although promising, this approach remains limited to viruses and is still in the early stages of testing.
On the contrary, the antimicrobial application of saccarin is more extensive and immediate. It works against a range of bacterial pathogens, including multiresistant strains, and can be formulated in several ways: gels, coatings, or even in inhalable or injectable forms. This versatility, combined with its safety profile, gives saccarin a considerable advantage over other emerging therapies.
Is the future of non-conventional antibiotics saccarin?
The new category of non-conventional antimicrobials is gaining traction among researchers. These are compounds that do not necessarily kill bacteria by traditional roads, but modify their structural integrity, metabolism or replication. Saccharin fits perfectly with this bill. In the study, he interrupted the critical pathways involved in the metabolism of iron and sulphur, vital for bacterial survival. He also altered gene expression – regulating the membrane’s external porins while regulating DNA repair and resistance genes, a model compatible with extreme cell stress.
Researchers suggest that saccharin damage may be unique among known antimicrobials. DNA synthesis is activated from unusual, damage-prone regions rather than from typical source points, similar to those observed in severe bacterial lesions or exposure to severe stress. The Cas1-Cas2 fluorescent markers revealed chaotic patterns of DNA synthesis initiation, providing information on how saccarin essentially destabilizes bacterial life.
Can saccarin be part of the routine?
Maybe, yeah. Imagine hospitals using saccarin gels in post-surgical injuries to prevent infection. Or clinics that treat burn victims with sacharin-infused dressings to avoid resistant strains. It is even possible to combine saccarin with inhalable antibiotics to treat P. aeruginosa pneumonia. Given the scalability and affordability of saccarin production, these applications are more feasible than many current experimental therapies.
In addition, widespread familiarity and regulatory approval of saccharin mean fewer barriers to adoption. However, further clinical studies will be needed to fully validate their human efficacy, particularly in vulnerable populations. For now, the bitter effect of this sweetener on the beautiful bugs could be the unexpected turning point the medical world needs.
As Professor McCarthy pointed out, fighting RAM is not only a scientific challenge, it is a society. And maybe the answer was hidden from the view, quietly located next to our morning coffee cup.
