Synopsis

Source of validity: Scientific
Rating (out of 5): 2

3-Phenyllactic acid (PLA) is a naturally occurring organic acid produced by certain lactic acid bacteria, such as Lactobacillus species. Its use in supporting or treating bacterial infection is primarily justified by scientific research rather than traditional usage. Several in vitro studies have demonstrated that 3-phenyllactic acid exhibits broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity against various Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, including foodborne pathogens like Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. The proposed mechanism involves disruption of bacterial cell membranes and inhibition of biofilm formation.

Despite these promising laboratory findings, there is limited clinical evidence supporting the direct use of 3-phenyllactic acid for treating bacterial infections in humans. Most of the available data comes from food preservation research, where PLA is explored as a natural preservative due to its antibacterial properties. Some studies also suggest its potential as a component of probiotic preparations to enhance antimicrobial defense in the gut.

However, no high-quality clinical trials have established its efficacy or safety for treating infections in humans, and it is not currently approved or commonly used as an antimicrobial agent in clinical practice. Therefore, while there is a scientific basis for its antibacterial activity, the overall level of evidence supporting its use in infection treatment is moderate to low (rated 2/5), with most data limited to preclinical studies.

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