A new type of cotton bandage will kill germs without antibiotics

Researchers at Cornell University have developed a new kind of antibacterial bandage that doesn’t use antibiotics. There’s also no drug in there – the germs are destroyed by the bandage material itself. This is Lawson or henotanninic acid, which is derived from henna leaves and is prized for its anti-inflammatory properties. It also has antioxidant properties.

It is not easy to work with this substance, as due to its strong hydrophobic properties it cannot be mixed with water and get a convenient solution for wound treatment. Therefore, the scientists used carbohydrates cyclodextrins, ‘hiding’ looson inside their hollow structure. The outer surface of cyclodextrins is well wetted with water, so a kind of solution was obtained.