Microbial community and immune modulation enable effective treatment of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus skin infections with linalool

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), as one of the main pathogens causing skin and soft tissue infections, poses challenges in treatment due to its high resistance to antibiotics. As one of the efficacious essential oil components in numerous traditional Chinese medicines, linalool was believed to possess antimicrobial activity against pathogenic microorganisms. Here, we investigated the therapeutic effects of linalool on MRSA-infected mice by examining their post-treatment outcomes. This was done through observations of physiological conditions, pathological sections, inflammatory factors, and changes in the skin microenvironment. We have confirmed the effectiveness of linalool in treating MRSA infections. Mice treated with linalool exhibited more pronounced signs of recovery, such as reduced skin necrosis, increased fibroplasia, greater neovascularization, and resolution of inflammatory infiltration. In addition, there was an improvement in the inflammatory environment, with a decrease in inflammatory factors. The microbial composition on the skin surface also confirmed this improvement. After linalool treatment, mice exhibited better species diversity on the skin, making it easier to maintain the skin's homeostasis. The excellent performance of linalool in combating MRSA infections provides a new direction for the search for new antibiotics against multidrug-resistant bacteria, highlighting the potential of linalool as a promising anti-MRSA drug.