Manuka Honey to Prevent Wound Infection

Skin Care article posted on Feb 02, 2012 by Josephine Beck, Digestive Care Advisor

Manuka honey could help clear chronic wound infections and even prevent them from developing, according to a new study published in Microbiology. The findings provide further evidence for the clinical use of manuka honey to treat bacterial infections in the face of growing antibiotic resistance.

Streptococcus pyogenes is a normal skin bacterium that is frequently associated with chronic (non-healing) wounds. Bacteria that infect wounds can clump together forming 'biofilms', which form a barrier to drugs and promotes chronic infection. Researchers at Cardiff Metropolitan University have shown that manuka honey can not only destroy fully-formed S. pyogenes biofilms in vitro but also prevent the bacteria initially binding to components of wound tissue.

Honey has long been acknowledged for its antimicrobial properties. Traditional remedies containing honey were used in the topical treatment of wounds by diverse ancient civilisations. Manuka honey is derived from nectar collected by honey bees foraging on the manuka tree found growing in New Zealand and parts of Australia. It is included in modern licensed wound-care products around the world. Manuka honey has been reported to inhibit more than 80 species of bacteria, yet the antimicrobial properties of honey have not yet been fully exploited by modern medicine as its mechanisms of action are not fully understood.

Ongoing work by the Cardiff team is investigating other wound-associated bacteria including Pseudomonas aeruginosa and meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Manuka honey has also been shown to be effective at killing these bacteria. "There is an urgent need to find innovative and effective ways of controlling wound infections that are unlikely to contribute to increased antimicrobial resistance. No instances of honey-resistant bacteria have been reported to date, or seem likely," said Dr Maddocks who led the study. "Applying antibacterial agents directly to the skin to clear bacteria from wounds is cheaper than systemic antibiotics and may well complement antibiotic therapy in the future. This is significant as chronic wounds account for up to 4% of health care expenses in the developed world."

Source:
Society for General Microbiology (2012, January 31). Honey could be effective at treating and preventing wound infections. ScienceDaily. Retrieved February 2, 2012, from http://www.sciencedaily.com /releases/2012/01/120131205919.htm

Comments from the community (1)

"Sam" on 2012-02-06 at 20:25:02

This is great news for the prevention and elimination of MRSA in hospitals. Although the mortality rate of MRSA has been falling in recent years, new research such as using manuka honey on wounds will still help save lives. There's more about wound care and manuka honey on: http://www.manukahoneybenefit.com/dressings/

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