Soon, 'Medical Maggots' To Heal Wounds Faster

Researchers say that ointments and bandages infused with essence of maggot could help speed up wound healing.

Hundreds of years ago battlefield medics noticed that bloody wounds infested with maggots actually heal faster than "clean" wounds.

Maggot Therapy Equally Beneficial To Standard Care For Leg Ulcers
Larval (maggot) therapy has similar health benefits and costs compared with a standard treatment for leg ulcers, find two studies published on bmj.

In today's time, worldwide hospitals breed selected fly larvae in sterile environments. The "medical maggots" are applied directly to wounds such as ulcers and burns, which are otherwise difficult to heal.

However, the healing process of maggot therapy has long been a matter of debate.

Now, a new study suggests, the secret lies in a fluid secreted by the maggots to help them consume decaying tissue.

New Drug to Combat MRSA Developed With Maggots
British researchers have developed a new antibiotic using maggots which can be used to treat bugs including some strains of the drug-resistant bacteria MRSA, they announced Tuesday.

In many wounds that are not readily healing, tissue decays and dies, allowing bacteria to thrive. This creates irritation that further prevents proper healing.

"We have produced an enzyme from the maggot fluid with the capacity to remove decaying tissue from the wound, giving the underlying tissue a better chance to heal," National Geographic News quoted David Pritchard, a researcher working on the project at the University of Nottingham School of Pharmacy in the U.K, as saying.

Healing Wounds With Freeze-dried Blood Platelets
US scientists have drawn on the benefits of freeze-dried blood platelets to heal wounds.

"Now that we understand the 'mechanism of maggots,' we are translating this knowledge to make effective wound-care products," he added.

Source-ANI
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