A new study finds that Manuka honey, derived from honeybees in New Zealand, can clear chronic wound infections and even prevent them from developing in the first place.
A new study published in Microbiology on Tuesday found that medical-grade honey can interfere with the growth of a type of stubborn bacteria commonly found in infected wounds. Also, researchers reveal that when the honey is applied to a wound along with antibiotics, it can help make superbugs more sensitive to the drugs.
Honey has long been known for its antimicrobial properties, with traditional honey remedies being used topically on wounds for centuries. However, modern medicine has only recently begun tapping into its potential.
"There is an urgent need to find innovative and effective ways of controlling wound infections that are unlikely to contribute to increased antimicrobial resistance," said researcher Sarah Maddocks from Cardiff Metropolitan University in the UK. "No instances of honey-resistant bacteria have been reported to date, or seem likely."
In other research, Australian researchers from the University of Sydney reported on honey's potential to fight superbugs in 2009, suggesting that honey-based products could replace antibiotic creams on wounds.
For consumers, honey-based wound products include Honey Mark and Dr. Norkdyke's Wound Honey antiseptic creams and lotions, which contain a specially filtered version of manuka honey to fight infection.
Copyright AFP/Relaxnews
