Maple extract is a purified version of maple syrup without all the sugar and carbs and serves as a rich source of phenolic compounds.
Maple extract was studied at McGill University in Canada and it was found that combining this extract with common antibiotics could increase the microbes’ susceptibility, thus leading to a lower antibiotic usage. When antibiotics are overused, it can cause the emergence of drug-resistant bacteria, which is becoming a significant problem worldwide.
“The researchers tested the extract’s effect in the laboratory on infection-causing strains of certain bacteria, including E. coli and Proteus mirabilis (a common cause of urinary tract infection). By itself, the extract was mildly effective in combating bacteria. But the maple syrup extract was particularly effective when applied in combination with antibiotics. The extract also acted synergistically with antibiotics in destroying resistant communities of bacteria known as biofilms, which are common in difficult-to-treat infections, such as catheter-associated urinary tract infections.” (1). The scientists also found that maple extract affects gene expression of the bacteria by repressing certain genes that are linked with antibiotic resistance.
We have chosen to use organic maple extract in Cymbiotika’s Red Yeast Rice formula for its delectable sweetness and for its ability to repress certain bacterial genes that are linked to antibiotic resistance.
