When Was the Last Time You Went to the Doctor and Came Home Without an Antibiotic? Because

Abstract

When was the last time you went to the doctor and came home without an antibiotic? Because of the overuse of antibiotics, antibiotic resistant infections such as

MRSA (Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus) or C. DIFF (Clostridium Difficile) have popped up. How do we solve this problem? Scientists have found remedies that can be used instead of antibiotics. My project will go over how they work, and will test which one of the following kills bacteria the best without killing the good bacteria in your body: garlic oil, oil of oregano, olive leaf extract, and antibiotics. My hypothesis states that garlic will work the best. In my project, I used 20 prepared dishes of nutrient and LMRS agar, normal skin flora bacteria, Lactobacillus, 4 antibacterial agents, latex gloves, plastic storage containers, and a fish tank with a lamp used as an incubator. My results concluded that garlic killed bacteria the best, without stopping the good bacteria’s growth. Oregano came in second. It did not kill the good bacteria and stopped the bad bacteria’s growth.

Olive leaf, coming in third, stopped the bad bacteria growth, but killed some of the good bacteria. The antibiotic came in last because although it killed the bad bacteria completely, it completely killed the good bacteria. Not killing the good bacteria is crucial because it is necessary in fighting infection. This makes garlic the best choice and supports my hypothesis. When treating antibiotic resistant infections, doctors can use alternative remedies, like garlic, to treat infections instead of antibiotics.