Dormouse fat and antimicrobial activity | Polhova mast in protimikrobno učinkovanje

English. Dormouse fat continues to be used in traditional medicine to alleviate various health problems but, to date, there has been no systematic research into its role as an antimicrobial agent. Microorganisms have been confirmed as being present both in fresh dormouse fat, that has been produced in a traditional way and in previously applied fat. When studied in vitro, dormouse fat showed no inhibitory effect on the growth of the indicator bacteria Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus epidermidis. The apparent antimicrobial efficacy attested by its continuing and seemingly successful use in traditional medicine is most likely related to stimulation of the host immune system. Further research is needed to investigate and confirm the usefulness of dormouse fat, or its active components, in the treatment of infections related to multiple resistant microbial strains.

Slovenian. Polhovo mast se še vedno v ljudskem zdravilstvu uporablja za lajšanje številnih zdravstvenih težav, vendar zaenkrat ne obstajajo sistematične raziskave o njeni vlogi kot protimikrobne učinkovine. V sveži pohovi masti, pridobljeni na tradicionalen način ter tudi v tisti, ki je že bila uporabljena, so bili prisotni mikroorganizmi. Polhova mast v poskusu in vitro ni izkazala inhibitornega učinka na rast indikatorskih bakterij Escherichia coli in Staphylococcus epidermidis. Protimikrobno učinkovitost, o kateri priča ljudsko zdravilstvo, in jo potrjuje njena stalna uporaba, gre najverjetneje pripisati njeni stimulaciji imunskega sistema gostitelja. Potrebne so nadaljnje raziskave, ki bodo potrdile uporabnost polhove masti oziroma njenih aktivnih sestavnih delov pri zdravljenju mikrobnih okužb z večkratno odpornimi sevi.