From zombie madness to super antibiotic: The deadly double life of “bath salts”

At a glance

Imagine there is a substance that drives you crazy. It makes your heart race, your muscles melt and you see things that don't exist. The media called it the "zombie drug", sold as harmless bath salts at every gas station. But deep within the chemical structure of this monster lies a shocking secret. The same class of molecules that wreaked havoc on the streets of Florida could be the answer to one of humanity's greatest threats: multidrug-resistant bacteria. This is the story of Catha edulis – a plant that walks the fine line between deadly poison and life-saving medicine. Strap in, we're taking a deep dive into your brain's chemistry.