Researchers identify artificial sweetener saccharin as a potential antimicrobial agent

UK – A team of UK researchers has identified saccharin, a common artificial sweetener, as a potential antimicrobial agent effective against multidrug-resistant pathogens.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) occurs when microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, and parasites resist antimicrobial drugs, rendering treatments ineffective.

The study, led by scientists from Brunel University, London, revealed that saccharin damages bacterial cell walls, leading to bulging, rupture, and ultimately, cell death. This breakdown allows antibiotics to penetrate bacterial defences more effectively.

Researchers also found that saccharin can block disease-causing traits in bacteria and disrupt polymicrobial biofilms – tough bacterial clusters often involved in chronic infections.

“In exciting work led by our team, we’ve identified a novel antimicrobial, saccharin,” Professor Ronan McCarthy, lead researcher at Brunel University of London’s Antimicrobial Innovations Center stated.

“Saccharin breaks the walls of bacterial pathogens, causing them to distort and eventually burst, killing the bacteria. Crucially, this damage lets antibiotics slip inside, overwhelming their resistance systems,” She explained.

Additional novel research

In further experiments, the team developed a surgical dressing using saccharine. When tested on pig skin, the saccharine-based material was more effective than standard wound dressing materials, such as silver, in reducing bacterial levels. 

Recent work has also demonstrated that saccharin, along with other artificial sweeteners such as acesulfame-K (ace-K), can inhibit the growth of multidrug-resistant (MDR) P. aeruginosa and Acinetobacter baumannii. 

Similarly, it has been shown to limit the growth of a range of lab-model bacteria including Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus cereus, Klebsiella pneumoniae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. 

These highlight the therapeutic potential of saccharin as an antimicrobial in in vitro and ex vivo models.

“Normally, it takes billions of dollars and decades to develop a new antibiotic. But here we have a compound that’s already widely used, and it not only kills drug-resistant bacteria but also makes existing antibiotics more effective.” Ronan McCarthy added.

“We discovered that the same sweeteners you have with your coffee or in a ‘sugar-free’ drink could make some of the world’s most dangerous bacteria easier to treat,”  

What is Saccharin?

Saccharin (C7H5NO3S) is a heat-stable artificial sweetener that is 300–700 times sweeter than sucrose, yet contributes zero net calories to the diet.

It is a synthetic sweetener unrelated to carbohydrates, meaning it does not raise blood sugar levels or contribute nutritional energy.

It was accidentally discovered in the late 1870s by a chemist, Constantin Fahlberg, working on the development of benzoic sulfimide coal tar derivatives, who noted an intense sweet taste on his hand.

Initially speculated to be carcinogenic, Saccharin was removed from the list of potential carcinogens in 2000 by the National Toxicology Program of the National Institutes of Health.

With the rise in global obesity, it has now become a widely used non-caloric sugar alternative.

The growing AMR threat

According to the Africa Centres for Disease Prevention and Control, drug-resistant infections claimed around 700,000 lives annually as of 2024.

The burden is projected to rise to 10 million by 2050 if left unchecked, with Africa accounting for 4.5 million of these deaths.

“Antibiotic resistance is one of the major threats to modern medicine,” says McCarthy. “Procedures such as tooth extractions and cancer treatment often rely on antibiotics to prevent or treat infection. But doctors are increasingly facing cases where the drugs no longer work.”

AMR has a mortality rate of 27.3 deaths per 100,000 people, making it the highest in the world.

Sign up HERE to receive our email newsletters with the latest news and insights from Africa and around the world, and follow us on our WhatsApp channel for updates.