Grapefruit seed extract has antimicrobial action that may help ward off infections such as some staph infections. However, this cure is far from certain and more scientific research is needed. This extract is one of many natural remedies being studied as a possible therapy for staph and other infections. Always consult a health care professional before trying an herbal remedy.
Staph Infections
Staphylococcus aureus is responsible for most staph infections suffered by humans, though there are more than 30 species in the staph family. Staphylococcus, or staph, is a type of bacteria. These can live on your skin without causing harm, but when your skin is broken the bacteria can enter and cause an infection. Some staph strains can cause urinary tract infections. While most staph infections are minor skin infections, staph infections can in rare cases become serious if they move from a break in your skin into your blood stream. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or MRSA, is a type of staph that is resistant to typical antibiotics used to treat staph infections. The advent of MRSA increased interest in alternate methods of treating staph infections.
Evidence Against
Grapefruit seed extract's effectiveness as an antimicrobial agent, including against Staphylococcus aureus, was called into question by a 1999 study published in the German scientific journal, ""Die Pharmazie." This study concluded that any antimicrobial action in grapefruit seed extract is due to synthetic preservative agents as opposed to properties of the extract itself, according to lead study author T. von Woedkte.
Evidence For
The results of the German study are countermanded by numerous other studies over three decades, according to "Lessons from the Miracle Doctors," by Jon Barron. For example, a 2002 study published in the "Journal of Alternative and Complimentary Medicine," credits grapefruit seed extract with being effective against more than 800 viral and bacterial strains and some 100 strains of fungus as well as large numbers of multi- and single-celled parasites.
Considerations
More studies on grapefruit seed extract are needed to determine if it is effective against staph infections in humans. Most studies backing its use for this purpose are laboratory studies, according to "Herbal Antibiotics," by Stephen Harrod Buhner. Grapefruit seed extract is effective for cleaning hospital equipment and in veterinary practice, however, Buhner notes. If you go by laboratory studies, grapefruit seed extract is effective at low doses and one of the most powerful broad-spectrum antibiotics around, Buhner adds. According to the "Journal of Alternative and Complimentary Medicine" study, which is a laboratory study, grapefruit seed extract works as an antibacterial agent because it disrupts bacterial cell membranes and liberates the cell's cytoplasmic contents.
References
- Vanderbilt University: Grapefruit Seed Extract; Garnett Holloway; November 2005
- "Die Pharmazie"; Aspects of the Antimicrobial Efficacy of Grapefruit Seed Extract and its Relation to Preservative Substances Contained; T. von Woedtke, et al.; 1999
- "Journal of Alternative and Complimentary Medicine"; The Effectiveness of Processed Grapefruit-Seed Extract as an Antibacterial Agent; J.P. Heggers, et al.; 2002
- "Lessons from the Miracle Doctors"; Jon Barron; 2008
- Kidshealth.org: What is a Staph Infection?
- Kidshealth.org: Serious Staph Infections
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