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View Full Version : Alligator Blood May Lead to Powerful New Antibiotics


Peggyann
04-07-2008, 04:49 PM
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/04/080407-alligator-blood.html

Chemists in Louisiana found that blood from the American alligator can successfully destroy 23 strains of bacteria, including strains known to be resistant to antibiotics.

In addition, the blood was able to deplete and destroy a significant amount of HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.

Study co-author Lancia Darville at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge believes that peptides—fragments of proteins—within alligator blood help the animals stave off fatal infections.


~PA~

Tracy
04-07-2008, 10:27 PM
Huh. Weird! I guess it makes sense considering the types of bacteria they live with everyday and don't die from.(nt)

aleutsi
04-07-2008, 10:37 PM
Huh. Weird! I guess it makes sense considering the types of bacteria they live with everyday and don't die from.(nt)

Dwelling in the sewers and all.

Tracy
04-08-2008, 12:09 AM
Dwelling in the sewers and all.

Well, ya!!! (nt)

Peggyann
04-08-2008, 08:27 AM
~PA~

aleutsi
04-08-2008, 11:37 AM
~PA~

The geek in me is showing, but my actual first thought was "Dragon blood!" because I believe there are or were real dragons and our reptiles today are descendants of them. And it just makes sense because dragon blood was considered magical (medicinal)!