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The World Health Organization describes the resistance of some bacteria to antibiotics as “the epidemic of our time,” threatening the effectiveness of medical treatments and making it more difficult to control infections.
While laboratories around the world are racing to find new antibodies capable of breaking this barrier, one of the solutions may come from the mountains of Iraqi Kurdistan, but in an unusual way, according to results announced by the research team from the College of Science at Sulaymaniyah University in a study recently published in the journal Scientific Reports.
According to the study, it was found that paper wasp honey can be used as a unique natural source to manufacture “silver nanoparticles” without any chemical intervention, and these particles showed an amazing ability to eliminate drug-resistant bacteria.
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Paper wasps obtain their sugary secretions from various sources (Khaled Omar)
What is wasp honey?
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Paper wasp honey is a sweet substance produced by some rare species of wasps that live in the Middle East, especially Iraq, Iran, and Turkey, and are known scientifically as “Parabolippia escaleri.”
These wasps build their nests from plant fibers mixed with saliva, so they look as if they are made of rough paper, hence the name “paper wasps.”
Dr. Khaled Muhammad Omar, a professor in the Department of Chemistry at the College of Science, Sulaimaniyah University, and the main researcher of the study, said in exclusive statements to Al Jazeera Net that, “Unlike bees, which collect nectar mainly from flowers, paper wasps obtain their sugary secretions from various sources, especially from secretions found on the surface of oak leaves.”
He added, “Therefore, the composition of paper wasp honey differs significantly from that of bee honey, which gives it distinct chemical properties and unique potential applications whether as a natural product or as a source for manufacturing nanoparticles.”
The therapeutic potential of this honey has not been explored before, although it contains a wide range of biologically active compounds such as flavonoids, phenolic acids, proteins, enzymes and other active plant substances, which can be natural reducing and stabilizing agents during the manufacture of silver nanoparticles, which prompted Omar and his companions to try to explore it as a basic material in manufacturing these particles in a friendly way. For the environment.
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Wasps build their nests from plant fibers mixed with saliva (Khaled Omar)
What are silver nanoparticles?
These particles are known as very fine particles of silver, whose diameter usually does not exceed 100 nanometers (that is, about a thousand times smaller than a human hair). It has antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties, which is why it is widely used in medicine, cosmetics, food packaging, and medical devices.
Omar says, “These particles kill bacteria in several integrated ways, including sticking to the wall of the bacterial cell, where they create holes that lead to the leakage of its internal content. They also release silver ions that interact with the bacteria’s enzymes and DNA, stopping their growth and reproduction, and produce active oxygen molecules that destroy proteins and cellular membranes.”
Instead of the traditional chemicals used in their manufacture, scientists in recent years are seeking to produce them in natural or “green” ways using plant extracts or natural insect products, and from here came the idea of using paper wasp honey.
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The composition of paper wasp honey differs significantly from bee honey (Khaled Omar)
How to prepare?
These particles are prepared through several simple steps. The researchers began by collecting honey from paper wasp nests in the Bamu-Khoshak mountains in the Kurdistan region of Iraq, then mixing drops of honey with a simple mixture of silver nitrate, carefully adjusting the pH to speed up the reaction.
As time passes, the mixture gradually begins to change color until it becomes dark brown, in a scene that symbolizes the birth of silver nanoparticles.
The journey did not stop at this visual transformation, as the particles were separated, purified, and heated to get rid of the remains of natural honey, then they were subjected to a precise stage of examination using advanced analysis devices, namely ultraviolet spectroscopy to confirm the composition of the particles, With it.
The results revealed that the particles generated from this natural mixture were very small, no more than 30 nanometers in diameter, and had a pure silver crystalline structure.
A promising natural source
In the next stage, the researchers tested the killing ability of silver nanoparticles extracted from paper wasp honey against a number of dangerous bacteria known to be resistant to antibiotics.
The tests included gram-positive bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, including its methicillin-resistant strain, in addition to gram-negative bacteria Acinetobacter baumannii, which is one of the most common causes of hospital infections and difficult to treat.
The results showed that the minimum dose needed to kill Staphylococcus aureus bacteria – including its methicillin-resistant strain – was 17.5 micrograms per milliliter, while the dose needed to inhibit the growth of Acinetobacter baumannii bacteria was less than that, as it did not exceed 8.5 micrograms per milliliter.
These results indicate that paper wasp honey may constitute a promising natural source for the production of active substances against drug-resistant bacteria, which opens new horizons for the development of safer and sustainable antibiotics.
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The tests included gram-positive bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus (Getty Images)
Studies to evaluate potential toxicity
Despite the promising results, the research team did not ignore the biosafety aspect of these new particles, and Dr. Sirwan Mohsen, professor in the Department of Chemistry at the College of Science, University of Sulaimaniyah and the researcher participating in the study, explained – in statements to Al Jazeera Net – that the team is currently conducting studies to evaluate the potential toxicity of silver nanoparticles on human cells and animal models, noting that the initial results are promising and suggest that they Safe and biocompatible.
The researcher attributes this to the fact that the particles are derived from a natural source, and that the active compounds found in paper wasp honey contribute to reducing toxicity and enhancing harmony with the body’s tissues.
Regarding the team’s future plans, Dr. Sirwan revealed the researchers’ intention to expand the scope of the study to include other types of honey and various natural materials to produce new nanoparticles.
She added that the team also seeks to exploit the therapeutic properties of wasp honey itself in direct medical applications, such as treating wounds, combating microbes, and drug delivery, which makes this natural product a dual source of benefit for nanotechnology and biomedicine alike.
Challenges of broad application
As for the challenges that may face transforming this discovery into large-scale industrial production, the researcher explained that relying on natural materials in the manufacture of nanoparticles imposes difficulties related to the variation in chemical components depending on the environment, season, and type of insect produced, which affects the stability and quality of the final product.
Precisely controlling particle size and shape and ensuring stability during storage pose an additional technical challenge, as well as the regulatory complexities associated with the use of biological materials.
However, Dr. Sirwan believes that these obstacles do not diminish the importance of the natural approach, which is environmentally friendly, low-cost, and safe for health, making it a promising option towards sustainable and safe manufacturing of nanoparticles in the future.
