Researchers have found a way to package antimicrobial compounds from peppermint oil and cinnamon in a way that can promote healing of chronic wounds, according to research in the journal ACS Nano.
The researchers took peppermint oil and the substance in cinnamon that gives it flavor and aroma, called cinnamaldehyde, into silica nanoparticles. This treatment was effective in killing four types of bacteria and promoted the growth of fibroblasts, a cell type that promotes wound healing.
The new material can be used as a topical antibiotic to treat biofilms that form on chronic wounds.