Neosporin Ointment in the Nose Might Be Potent Antibiotic

TUESDAY, April 23, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- Want to prevent a respiratory infection?

A fingerful of Neosporin antibiotic swabbed inside your nose might help you fight off a range of invading respiratory viruses, a new study claims.

Lab animals whose noses were treated using neomycin -- the main ingredient in over-the-counter Neosporin ointment -- mounted a robust immune defense against both the COVID virus and a highly virulent strain of influenza, researchers found.

The same nasal approach also appeared to work in humans, this time with Neosporin itself.