Recently, a study published by researchers at New Haven University revealed another health functional property of Stevia extract.
Stevia extract has been recognized by consumers as a natural alternative to sweeteners, and the market has continued to grow rapidly over the past decade.
At the same time, other health properties of stevia extracts have also begun to attract the attention of researchers.
The ethanol extract of Stevia acts on the biofilm of Borrelia burgdorferi (BB), the pathogen of Lymedisease,
and is very effective in destroying the biofilm, reducing the bacterial mass by 40%.
This effect is even higher than antibiotics and is considered a safer, more effective alternative to antibiotics.
Lyme disease is a serious heart and nervous system disease that can induce other harmful complications if not treated.
For this disease, the American Society of Infectious Diseases recommends the use of doxycycline for two to four weeks.
Cefoperazone, daptomycin, and their combination are also common treatments for the disease. However, there are several problems with these drugs.
First, research shows that bacteria are constantly changing and adapting to drugs. Therefore, antibiotic drugs play a less and less important role in killing pathogenic microorganisms.
Second, there are strong side effects. In fact, up to 20% of patients with Lyme disease may experience joint pain and fatigue within six months after treatment.
This condition is known as Lyme disease syndrome or chronic Lyme disease and is caused by pathogens that the antibiotic failed to kill.
In addition, antibiotic drugs are toxic and often lead to a variety of complications.
Stevia extracts showed no signs of adverse reactions compared to antibiotics. In the experiment, it was able to eliminate 100% of the pathogens,
no pathogen was found after one week, and only 10% of the pathogens were regenerated after two weeks.