The worldwide emergence of infectious diseases, together with the increasing incidence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, elevate the need to properly detect, prevent, and effectively treat these infections. The overuse and misuse of common antibiotics in recent decades stimulates the need to identify new inhibitory agents. Therefore, natural products like clays, that display antibacterial properties, are of particular interest.The absorptive properties of clay minerals are well documented for healing skin and gastrointestinal ailments. However, the antibacterial properties of clays have received less scientific attention. French green clays have recently been shown to heal Buruli ulcer, a necrotic or ‘flesh-eating’ infection caused by Mycobacterium ulcerans. Assessing the antibacterial properties of these clays could provide an inexpensive treatment for Buruli ulcer and other skin infections.Antimicrobial testing of the two clays on a broad-spectrum of bacterial pathogens showed that one clay promotes bacterial growth (possibly provoking a response from the natural immune system), while another kills bacteria or significantly inhibits bacterial growth. This paper compares the mineralogy and chemical composition of the two French green clays used in the treatment of Buruli ulcer.Mineralogically, the two clays are dominated by 1Md illite and Fe-smectite. Comparing the chemistry of the clay minerals and exchangeable ions, we conclude that the chemistry of the clay, and the surface properties that affect pH and oxidation state, control the chemistry of the water used to moisten the clay poultices and contribute the critical antibacterial agent(s) that ultimately debilitate the bacteria.

中文翻译：

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用于治疗的法国绿粘土的化学和矿物学特征


世界范围内传染病的出现，以及抗生素耐药细菌发病率的增加，提高了正确检测、预防和有效治疗这些感染的必要性。近几十年来，常见抗生素的过度使用和滥用刺激了寻找新抑制剂的需求。因此，像粘土这样具有抗菌特性的天然产品特别受关注。粘土矿物质的吸收特性对于治疗皮肤和胃肠道疾病有充分的记录。然而，粘土的抗菌特性受到的科学关注较少。法国绿粘土最近被证明可以治愈布鲁里溃疡，这是一种由溃疡分枝杆菌引起的坏死或“食肉”感染。评估这些粘土的抗菌特性可以为布鲁里溃疡和其他皮肤感染提供一种廉价的治疗方法。对这两种粘土对广谱细菌病原体的抗菌测试表明，其中一种粘土可以促进细菌生长（可能会激发自然免疫系统的反应）系统），而另一种则杀死细菌或显着抑制细菌生长。本文比较了用于治疗布鲁里溃疡的两种法国绿粘土的矿物学和化学成分。从矿物学角度看，这两种粘土以1Md伊利石和铁蒙皂石为主。比较粘土矿物和可交换离子的化学性质，我们得出结论，粘土的化学性质以及影响 pH 值和氧化态的表面特性控制着用于润湿粘土膏剂的水的化学性质，并提供了关键的抗菌剂（ s) 最终削弱细菌。