The researchers from the Sydney University have found out that milk of local animal could kill the golden staph and antibiotic-resistant bugs. Tasmanian devil’s milk is also could help in the cancer fight, says PhD student Emma Peel, who revived the study, started in the 1990s by University of Tasmania associate professor Menna Jones.
The recent study od Australian researchers revealed the unbelievable power of the Tasmanian devil’s milk. The certain substances (peptides) in milk are able to kill the antibiotic-resistant bacteria like golden staph. Moreover, it potentially combats cancer and its deadly tumors.
According to Emma Peel, milk produced by the marsupials contains antimicrobial peptides called cathelicidins which had been tested as being effective against a number of pathogens, including methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, or golden staph.
“These peptides are killing superbugs, so there is potential for future development into antibiotics. That is the next step for our research, to see if these peptides have anti-cancer potential, if they are killing superbugs maybe they could kill the facial tumour,”
Peel explained.
Peel said the tests with the natural and artificial peptides showed amazing results. Regarding the milking of an aggressive animal, Pell warned that this process to be undertaken “very, very carefully and with a lots of safety gear.” Tasmanian devil is famous with its furious and aggressive behaviour.
Nick Mooney, with a Tasmanian devil at Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary, says having a Tasmanian devil as a pet would not be a good idea.
In fact, the population of Tasmanian devil reduced dramatically in 1990s. Devil facial tumour disease was first reported in 1996 and spread to cover 95% of Tasmania, prompting an international breeding program to save the animal.
