Page 11 - SAM September 2019

PUBLIC HEALTH

Graph 1

Graph 2

sally used as spices considered fit for Graphs 1 and 2 display the enhanced ef- additive or synergistic combination.
human consumption. ficacy against s.epidermidis when plant ex- Therefore, while it is important to recog-
Plant extracts are also popular for their tracts are combined with Gentamicin,. nize the importance of pharmaceutical
low toxicity and rare complications, com- Certain concentrations may double the therapy in specific diseases, it is important
pared with some medications. The lower zone of inhibition, which shows great po- to stress the importance of a good diet as
number of adverse effects make them safer. tential. It is evident that garlic and ginger an additive to rather than a replacement for
Garlic possesses a material called Allicin, enhance the effect of Gentamicin, with certain treatments. This is clearly illustrated
which is a strong oxidizing component that their bacterial growth inhibition becoming when adding raw garlic and ginger to one’s
disables the bacterial associated enzymes stronger. An important extension of this diet regime when taking an anti-biotic.
(that are necessary for infections to occur) study would be to investigate the molecular
by altering the membrane of the bacterium. mechanism that allows Gentamicin to dis- Abdullah Ghali is a second year Medical Stu-
As for Ginger, the mechanism of action in- play a larger zone of inhibition. This would dent at the University of Texas Health Science
volves inhibition of enzymes essential for then indicate whether the combination of Center in San Antonio.
fatty acid metabolism. Gentamicin and garlic/ginger produces an

References
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