Technically a berry, soap nuts received their name because of their nut like appearances. Native to India and Nepal soap nuts have been brought all over the globe and can be commonly found in both the Eastern and Western hemispheres. Also known as “soapberry”, soap nuts contain a natural cleaning agent Saponin. Saponin releases from the soap nuts creating natural surfactant foam which dissolves in water and removes both dirt and odors. It is often mistaken that the entire soap nut is used for cleaning purposes but in fact it is actually the shell of the soap nut that contains Saponin and not the seed.
Soap nuts are collected organically from trees that typically contain no pesticides or other chemicals. For resale purposes soap nuts are dried and de-seeded for the convenience of the user. However, soap nuts can be collected naturally if nearby. Soap nuts contain natural anti-bacterial properties, anti-fungal properties and anti-microbial properties and are completely safe to use with individuals who have a nut allergy as soap nuts are not technically a nut.
Alternative to Chemical Cleaners
For individuals who have sensitive skin soap nuts make a great alternative to mainstream chemical cleaners. Many detergents and fabric softeners often contain chemicals that can be the cause for itchiness and even rashes on the skin especially if not thoroughly washed from the laundry. Soap nuts have been around for centuries and are commonly used amongst environmentally friendly individuals and cultures. Fortunately soap nuts are becoming increasingly popular amongst prepper and survival groups as well as organically minded groups and even economically minded groups.
Soap nuts are simple and extremely easy to use while washing clothes organically. Begin by collecting five to six soap nuts and place them in a tied wash friendly bag. Typically a small wash friendly bag can be found at any local natural and organically friendly store. Let the soap nuts wash with the rest of the laundry through the entire wash cycle than take the bag out and let dry. The Saponins will release throughout the wash cycles removing dirt and grime and eliminating odors. The soap nuts in the wash bag can be used for up to 10 laundry loads saving much money on laundry detergent.
Other Uses for Soap Nuts
There are many common uses for soap nuts such as household cleaners that can be made from a soap nut liquid concentrate. Since soap nuts have natural cleaning agents in the Saponins this makes soap nuts a great tool to be used in every part of the household. A liquid concentrate derived from soap nuts is safe to use to clean food and even clean rooms such as the bathroom specifically toilets and even floors. Soap nuts are great as a cleaning solution that they can fight against yeast, black mold, salmonella, staph and even E. Coli.
A US Food and Drug Administration ruling this month bans the use of triclosan, triclocarban and 17 other antiseptics from household soaps because they have not been shown to be safe or even have any benefit.
About 40% of soaps use at least one of these chemicals, and the chemicals are also found in toothpaste, baby pacifiers, laundry detergents and clothing. It is in some lip glosses, deodorants and pet shampoos.
The current FDA action bans antiseptics like triclosan in household soaps only. It does not apply to other products like antiseptic gels designed to be used without water, antibacterial toothpaste or the many fabrics and household utensils in which antibacterials are embedded. Data suggest that the toothpastes are very effective for people suffering from gum disease, although it is not clear if they provide substantial benefits for those who don’t have gingivitis.
The FDA is currently evaluating the use of antibacterials in gels and will rule on how those products should be handled once the data are in.
Although antibacterials are still in products all around us, the current ban is a significant step forward in limiting their use.
As microbiologists who study a range of chemicals and microbes, we will explain why we don’t we need to kill all the bacteria. We also will explain how antibiotic soaps may even be bad by contributing to antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria that can be dangerous.
Bacteria are everywhere in the environment and almost everywhere in our bodies, and that is mostly good.
We rely on bacteria in our guts to provide nutrients and to signal to our brains, and some bacteria on our skin help protect us from harmful pathogens.
Some bacteria present in soil and animal waste can cause infections if they are ingested, however, and washing is important to prevent bacteria from spreading to places where they can cause harm.
Washing properly with soap and water removes these potential pathogens.
If soap and water are sufficient, why were antibacterials like triclosan and triclocarban added in the first place?
Triclosan was introduced in 1972. These chemicals were originally used for cleaning solutions, such as before and during surgeries, where removing bacteria is critical and exposure for most people is short. Triclosan and triclocarban may be beneficial in these settings, and the FDA ruling does not affect healthcare or first aid uses of the chemicals.
In the 1990s, manufacturers started to incorporate triclosan and triclocarban in products for the average consumer, and many people were attracted by claims that these products killed more bacteria.
Now antibacterial chemicals can be found in many household products, from baby toys to fabrics to soaps. Laboratory tests show the addition of these chemicals can reduce the number of bacteria in some situations. However, studies in a range of environments, including urban areas in the United States and squatter settlements in Pakistan, have shown that the inclusion of antibacterials in soap does not reduce the spread of infectious disease. Because the goal of washing is human health, these data indicate that antibacterials in consumer soaps do not provide any benefit.
What’s the downside to having antibacterials in soap? It is potentially huge, both for those using it and for society as a whole. One concern is whether the antibacterials can directly harm humans.
Triclosan had become so prevalent in household products that in 2003 a nationwide survey of healthy individuals found it in the urine of 75% of the 2,517 people tested. Triclosan has also been found in human plasma and breast milk.
Most studies have not shown any direct toxicity from triclosan, but some animal studies indicate that triclosan can disrupt hormone systems. We do not know yet whether triclosan affects hormones in humans.
Another serious concern is the effect of triclosan on antibiotic resistance in bacteria. Bacteria evolve resistance to nearly every threat they face, and triclosan is no exception.
Triclosan isn’t used to treat disease, so why does it matter if some bacteria become resistant? Some of the common mechanisms that bacteria use to evade triclosan also let them evade antibiotics that are needed to treat disease. When triclosan is present in the environment, bacteria that have these resistance mechanisms grow better than bacteria that are still susceptible, so the number of resistant bacteria increases.
Not only are bacteria adaptable, they are also promiscuous. Genes that let them survive antibiotic treatment are often found on pieces of DNA that can be passed from one bacterium to another, spreading resistance.
These mobile pieces of DNA frequently have several different resistance genes, making the bacteria that contain them resistant to many different drugs. Bacteria that are resistant to triclosan are more likely to also be resistant to unrelated antibiotics, suggesting that the prevalence of triclosan can spread multi-drug resistance. As resistance spreads, we will not be able to kill as many pathogens with existing drugs.
Antibiotics were introduced in the 1940s and revolutionized the way we lead our lives. Common infections and minor scrapes that could be fatal became easily treatable. Surgeries that were once unthinkable due to the risk of infection are now routine.
However, bacteria are becoming stronger due to decades of antibiotic use and misuse. New drugs will help, but if we do not protect the antibiotics we have now more people will die from infections that used to be easily treated. Removing triclosan from consumer products will help protect antibiotics and limit the threat of toxicity from extended exposure, without any adverse effect on human health.
The FDA ruling is a welcome first step to cleansing the environment of chemicals that provide little health value to most people but pose significant risk to individuals and to public health. To a large extent, this ruling is a victory of science over advertising.
This article originally appeared on The Conversation
Antimicrobial chemicals found in common household products could be wreaking havoc with people’s guts, according to a research paper out this week in the journal Science.
Triclosan is an antibacterial compound used in soaps, detergent and toothpaste, as well as toys and plastics. It was originally only used in hospitals, but it found its way into homes as Americans became more germ-phobic. (However, recent studies have found it no more effective at killing bacteria than plain soap.)
Related: Antibacterial soap with triclosan ‘no better at killing germs’ – study
Now, there are growing concerns about the possible negative effects of the chemical on human health and the environment. According to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), animal studies have shown that the chemical can act as a hormone disruptor. A 2008 study found traces of triclosan in the urine of 75% of the participants – some as young as six. The chemical has also been found in more than half of freshwater streams in the US.
The latest research paper, written by academics from the University of Chicago, focused on the lesser-known effects of triclosan exposure on the bacteria in people’s guts.
Disturbing the human microbiome has been “linked to a wide array of diseases and metabolic disorders, including obesity, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) and behavioral and metabolic disorders,” wrote the paper’s authors, Alyson L Yee and Jack A Gilbert.
Yee and Gilbert examined conflicting research on just how the chemical impacts gut microbiomes. Studies using zebrafish and fathead minnows found that triclosan changed gut bacteria, but that the microbiomes recovered once exposure to the chemical was stopped. However, another study on biofilms in rivers found that the gut remained altered even after triclosan was removed.
To test the chemical’s effect in humans, researchers from Stanford and Cornell universities gave seven volunteers triclosan-containing products, such as toothpaste and liquid soap, to use for four months. After that period, the same volunteers were switched to products without triclosan. The volunteers were compared with a second group who first used the non-triclosan products, then changed to those containing triclosan.
Related: Heart disease, depression and blindness – the hazards of deep space travel
The results showed that more triclosan was found in the urine of all the participants during the periods when they were using triclosan-containing products.
Yee and Gilbert also suggested that exposure to triclosan could be even more detrimental to the health of developing fetuses and newborns than to adults. A 2014 New York University study found that gut disruptions in early infancy could have lasting negative effects on immune and brain development.
The authors suggest that further studies are needed to understand the chemical’s effects on the human body.
Triclosan could also be contributing to antibiotic resistance, which scientists believe is caused by the overuse of antimicrobials in humans and animals. There are partial bans of the chemical in the European Union and in Minnesota, and the FDA says it will continue reviewing the chemical for its safety.
“Future research should explore the role of dose, timing, and route of triclosan exposure,” the paper’s authors wrote. “Humans are exposed to triclosan transiently and in small doses, but the presence of triclosan in surface, ground and drinking water indicates its potential to persist and accumulate in the environment.”
Louise Silverton, RCM deputy basic secretary explained: “Parents of newborns do need to consider care but people can go as well far with an obsession with cleanliness. Issues like hand washing before feeding and after nappy changing washing clothing at the appropriate temperature retaining infants away from pets and from guests with infections are all important. But when it comes to washing, soap and water is enough – there is really no want for mother and father to be using antibacterial wipes which can avert the baby’s normal immunity from building.”
In accordance to the “hygiene hypothesis”, some germ publicity is needed to prime the establishing immune technique and hold it under manage.
The concept suggests that when publicity to parasites, bacteria and viruses is constrained early in lifestyle children face a better chance of getting allergies, asthma, and other autoimmune conditions during adulthood.
Earlier research have located that youngsters with older siblings, individuals who grew up on a farm, or who attended day care early in lifestyle, seem to show lower rates of allergies than those whose early childhood was a lot more protected.
Though the lungs are sterile at birth, they are progressively colonised by microbes.
The new research showed that soon soon after birth, mice were vulnerable to inflammation in the lungs when exposed to allergens.
But above the very first two weeks of life, colonisation of their lungs by bacteria led to the improvement of special immune cells with anti-asthma properties.
The regulatory T cells stored the immune system in verify and suppressed the inflammation.
Even so, in cases the place the lungs were stored sterile – stopping the growth of bacteria – they became a lot more sensitive to bugs, resulting in asthma.
Dr Benjamin Marsland, from the University of Lausanne in Switzerland, lead writer, explained the study recommended that bacteria could also be used to build remedies to avoid or counter asthma.
He stated: “Our present review indicates that this kind of treatments could be drastically optimised by focusing on the narrow developmental window that exists following birth, or by targeting certain molecules.
“A important long term phase will be to translate these findings to human infants.”
Asthma attacks are caused by an above-powerful inflammatory immune response to allergy triggers this kind of as residence dust mites, pets or air pollutants.
A lot more than five million folks in the Uk are undergoing treatment for asthma, like 1.1 million children.
The UK’s asthma costs are amongst the highest in Europe, and the third highest for deaths, claiming 1250 deaths in 2012.
Dr Marsland said: “Epidemiological information point towards a critical time period in early existence for the duration of which environmental cues can set an individual on a trajectory towards respiratory well being or ailment. The neonatal immune method matures throughout this period, even though minor is recognized about the signals that lead to its maturation. Here we report that the formation of the lung microbiota is a crucial parameter in this procedure.”
Louise Silverton, RCM deputy general secretary said: “Parents of newborns do need to take care but individuals can go also far with an obsession with cleanliness. Things like hand washing before feeding and following nappy changing washing clothes at the proper temperature keeping infants away from pets and from guests with infections are all essential. But when it comes to washing, soap and water is ample – there is truly no want for dad and mom be making use of antibacterial wipes which can avert the baby’s organic immunity from creating.”
According to the “hygiene hypothesis”, some germ exposure is necessary to prime the establishing immune program and hold it underneath manage.
The theory suggests that when exposure to parasites, bacteria and viruses is restricted early in lifestyle young children face a greater likelihood of possessing allergies, asthma, and other autoimmune illnesses throughout adulthood.
Preceding research have identified that youngsters with older siblings, people who grew up on a farm or who attended day care early in lifestyle seem to show reduce rates of allergy symptoms than people whose early childhood was far more protected.
Even though the lungs are sterile at birth, they are progressively colonised by microbes.
The new research showed that quickly after birth, mice had been vulnerable to irritation in the lungs when exposed to allergens.
But more than the very first two weeks of daily life, colonisation of their lungs by bacteria led to the development of special immune cells with anti-asthma properties.
The regulatory T cells stored the immune system in verify and suppressed the irritation.
Nevertheless, in instances the place the lungs were stored sterile – stopping the advancement of bacteria, -they became much more delicate to bugs, resulting in asthma.
Dr Benjamin Marsland, from the University of Lausanne in Switzerland, lead writer, stated the study advised that bacteria could also be used to create treatments to stop or counter asthma.
He stated: “Our recent examine signifies that such therapies could be drastically optimised by targeting the narrow developmental window that exists following birth, or by targeting certain molecules.
“A essential future step will be to translate these findings to human infants.”
Asthma attacks are brought on by an over-robust inflammatory immune response to allergy triggers this kind of as home dust mites, pets or air pollutants.
A lot more than 5 million folks in the United kingdom are undergoing treatment for asthma, which includes 1.one million youngsters.
The UK’s asthma charges re amid the highest in Europe, and the third highest for deaths, claiming 1250 deaths in 2012.
Dr Marsland mentioned: “Epidemiological information stage towards a critical time period in early life for the duration of which environmental cues can set an individual on a trajectory towards respiratory overall health or illness. The neonatal immune method matures throughout this period, even though small is identified about the signals that lead to its maturation. Right here we report that the formation of the lung microbiota is a crucial parameter in this process.”
