New Cardiff Met Research Explores Essential Oils to Tackle Chronic Wound Infections
A research project at Cardiff Metropolitan University is investigating the potential of plant-derived essential oils as new treatments for chronic wound infections, a growing but often overlooked health challenge affecting more than 3.8 million people across the UK.
Chronic wound infections place a burden on patients and healthcare systems comparable to conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. But treatment options are becoming increasingly limited due to the rise of antimicrobial resistance; so with few new antibiotics in development, researchers are turning to nature for alternative solutions.
Dr Sarah Hooper, Reader in Microbiology and Infection at Cardiff Met, said: “For centuries, plant-based remedies have been used in traditional medicine to treat infection. Modern research has confirmed that many plants contain complex mixtures of bioactive compounds capable of antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activity. Essential oils extracted from plants in the Lamiaceae family, such as thyme, oregano, basil, rosemary, and sage, have consistently shown strong activity against harmful bacteria in laboratory studies.”
Despite these promising results, essential oils are not currently used in clinical wound care. The obstacles include limited human data, inconsistent results in studies, safety concerns, and challenges associated with standardising extraction methods.
To address these challenges, the Cardiff Met team screened ten essential oils from the Lamiaceae family for their effectiveness against two common wound pathogens, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus. The study aimed to identify which chemical components were associated with the strongest antimicrobial effects and to determine whether the most effective oils could be successfully incorporated into a topical hydrogel suitable for wound application.
Dr Hooper said: “Our findings move essential oil research beyond traditional laboratory testing by linking detailed chemical composition with functional performance in a realistic wound model. Even oils that come from closely related plants can work very differently against bacteria. The effectiveness of an oil doesn’t just depend on its main ingredients, but also on tiny amounts of other compounds, how the oil is prepared, and how it’s applied or delivered. Our next step therefore is to grow plants in the lab in very precise conditions, so that we can hopefully develop a standardised oil that is sustainable to produce.”
“There are still a lot of challenges to overcome, but by linking detailed chemical testing with how these products perform, and by exploring improved ways to deliver them, we could develop new plant-based wound treatments that may help support healing and reduce dependence on traditional antibiotics.”
This project is part of a collaborative effort with Prof Chris Wallis, an expert in sustainable compounds of natural origin, and Matt Bates an expert in chemical analysis of plant oils.