
22/07/2025
Researchers at the University of Nottingham recreated Bald’s Eye Salve, a medieval remedy from Bald’s Leechbook, adhering to the original recipe that includes garlic, another allium (onion or leek), wine, and ox-bile, left to age for nine days in a brass vessel.
Lab experiments demonstrated this concoction killed up to 90% of MRSA bacteria, even within tough-to-treat biofilms in vitro.
Results were replicated across multiple batches and settings, underscoring that all ingredients and the specific preparation method are necessary for its full antimicrobial effect.
In animal studies, it proved effective in mouse wound models, significantly reducing MRSA loads — apparently matching or exceeding modern antibiotics.
Notable media coverage in outlets like CBS, ABC, PBS, and Time highlighted the “astonishing” findings and suggested the remedy might interfere with bacterial communication (quorum sensing), helping to break biofilms.