Staph Retreat - Radiolab Recap
Podcast: Radiolab
Published: 2026-03-20
Guests: Maren McKenna, Dr. Christina Lee, Dr. Freya Harrison
What Happened
Alexander Fleming's accidental discovery of penicillin in 1928 marked a turning point in medicine, as it effectively killed staph bacteria and was hailed as a miracle drug. Despite its initial success, by 1944, penicillin-resistant strains of staph had emerged, illustrating the rapid cycle of antibiotic development and bacterial resistance.
Methicillin, developed in 1960, quickly faced resistance by 1961, demonstrating the persistent challenge of antibiotic resistance over the decades. By the 2000s, the high cost of development and swift emergence of resistance led drug companies to reduce antibiotic research, contributing to the rise of superbugs resistant to all known antibiotics.
Freya Harrison and Christina Lee from the University of Nottingham turned to ancient wisdom, recreating a remedy from Bald's Leech Book, a 1,000-year-old healer's handbook. Their recreated remedy, known as Bald's iSalve, showed remarkable effectiveness, killing 99.999% of MRSA bacteria in lab tests, suggesting ancient treatments may regain efficacy after long periods without use.
Bald's iSalve, originally a remedy for styes, uses ingredients like garlic, onion or leek, wine, and ox gall, mixed in a brass pot and left for nine days. The success of this ancient remedy has sparked interest in the potential of historical medicines, with Harrison and Lee publishing several papers on its mechanisms.
In 2022, Bald's iSalve passed phase one safety trials in healthy humans, marking a significant step in its development as a potential treatment. Researchers have identified key chemicals within the remedy that contribute to its antibacterial properties, raising questions about intellectual property rights should it become a commercial drug.
Special thanks were given to various contributors, including Steve Diggle, Alexandra Ryder, and others, highlighting the collaborative effort behind this research. Leadership support for Radiolab's science programming is provided by the Simons Foundation and the John Templeton Foundation, with foundational support from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.
Key Insights
- MRSA is a highly infectious bacterium often contracted in medical settings, illustrating the ongoing challenge of nosocomial infections.
- Alexander Fleming's discovery of penicillin in 1928 revolutionized medicine, yet resistance to it was already noted by 1944, highlighting the rapid adaptability of bacteria.
- The development of methicillin in 1960 was quickly followed by bacterial resistance, a pattern that has continued with modern antibiotics, leading to the current concern over superbugs.
- Ancient remedies, such as those found in Bald's Leech Book, have shown potential in modern applications, as demonstrated by the high efficacy of Bald's iSalve against MRSA.