Study: Honey can kill superbugs

Honey has been used to treat wounds since ancient times, but recent years have seen a surge of medical interest in the sticky stuff. Manuka honey has been the subject of particular interest, with the results of a study just published by Sydney University finding that it has powerful antibacterial properties, and is even effective against antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Associate Professor Dee Carter, from Sydney University's School of Molecular and Microbial Biosciences said: "Our research is the first to clearly show that these honey-based products could in many cases replace antibiotic creams on wounds and equipment such as catheters. Using honey as an intermediate treatment could also prolong the life of antibiotics." "Most bacteria that cause infections in hospitals are resistant to at least one antibiotic, and there is an urgent need for new ways to treat and control surface infections." She added: "We don't quite know how these honeys prevent and kill infections, but a compound in them called methylglyoxal seems to interact with a number of other unknown compounds in honey to prevent infectious bacteria developing new strains that are resistant to it." Honey is a complex substance, containing up to 800 compounds and its complexity means it has been difficult to pinpoint exactly how it kills bacteria. Manuka is a type of honey that is made by bees pollinating the flowers of the Manuka bush, a member of the Leptospermum family that grows naturally in New Zealand.

Reference: CNN

Honey may take the sting out of the NHS superbugs

Honey has the power to defeat the hospital superbugs which claim up to 5,000 lives a year, scientists have discovered. Renowned for thousands of years for its medicinal properties, it is able to kill off mutant bacteria, including MRSA which has defeated all but the strongest antibiotics. The latest discovery by researchers at the University of Wales in Cardiff comes at a time of growing scientific interest in the substance's healing properties. Honey contains natural antibacterial agents which experts have discovered can prevent the growth of a number of hospital-acquired wound infections, even at very low concentrations. Outbreaks of the infections cost the Health Service £1billion a year in extra treatment. They kill 5,000 British hospital patients a year and are a factor in a further 15,000 deaths. Honey was revered by the ancient Greeks and Egyptians as a powerful medicinal agent and used to help heal burns and sores. During World War I, German physicians mixed it with cod liver oil to use as a surgical dressing for battle wounds. But widespread use of antibiotics to combat infections in the latter part of the last century left it back in the kitchen cupboard. The latest findings followed laboratory experiments on bacteria gathered from infected wounds and hospital surfaces, including MRSA. The team at the University of Wales Institute in Cardiff found honey attacked the bugs even when it was diluted in another medium. Microbiologist Dr Rose Cooper explained: 'I have found that even at concentrations as low as 3 per cent, honey is able to inhibit the growth of the bacteria. 'It is probable that at higher concentrations the honey would destroy the MRSA. This is very encouraging news and a good start.' Varieties of honey from Australia and New Zealand have proved most effective. Their high sugar content creates a waterless environment in which the bacteria cannot survive. The honey is also highly acidic due to the presence of the enzyme glucose oxidase, adding to its antibacterial properties. Dr Cooper said this enzyme produces a secret weapon - hydrogen peroxide, which was once used as a wound disinfectant in hospitals. Honey is primarily composed of fructose, glucose and water. It also contains enzymes, vitamins B and C, iron, magnesium, calcium, sodium, silica, manganese and potassium. Dr Cooper said supermarket honey was not suitable for treating wounds. 'The honey we used was irradiated and had not been exposed to high temperatures like pasteurised runny honey you get in the shops,' she said. 'Even honey you might buy in health food shops could contain bacteria spores which you would not want to introduce to wounds.' Another trial involving 20 patients at Aintree Hospital in Liverpool found dressings soaked in Manuka honey from New Zealand were effective in treating wounds infected with drug-resistant bacteria. Manuka is made from one of New Zealand's native plants and has long been used in folk medicine. A larger trial has now been ordered.

Reference: Daily Mail

Raising spirits

QUESTIONER: "Dear John. My father, who is 81, has an ulcer near his left ankle which is refusing to heal despite regular nursing care. Swabs show no MRSA infection. What might help speed the healing process." DR. JOHN BRIFFA: "Leg ulcers are common in the elderly, especially in those suffering from varicose veins or diabetes. Tissue healing can be helped by supplementing the diet with nutrients such as vitamin C and zinc. In addition, these stimulate the immune system, and this will help to clear any infection that may slow the healing process. suggest your father takes 1g (1,000mg) of vitamin C twice a day, along with 30-60mg of zinc a day, for two to three months. Another natural substance, the herb Gotu kola (Centella asiatica), contains saponins, which stimulate wound healing through the production of a tissue protein known as collagen. I suggest your father takes this in pill or tincture form for two to three months. Studies show that honey can assist wound and ulcer healing. I recommend that Manuka honey (from New Zealand) is applied every time your father has a change of dressing."

Reference: The Guardian

Doctors turning sweet on healing with honey

Peter Molan, Ph.D., likes to tell the story of the 20-year-old wound. Infected with antibiotic-resistant bacteria, an abscess oozed in an English woman's armpit long after it had been drained. Nothing seemed to help, and the pain prevented her from working. Then in August of 1999, she read about the remarkable wound-healing properties of honey. She convinced doctors to apply some to the dressing to her arm, and a month later the wound healed. Now she's back at work. Novel as this treatment sounds, it would have inspired yawns among doctors in ancient Egypt, according to May Berenbaum, Ph.D., a University of Illinois entomologist. "Honey has been used for centuries to treat a wide range of medical problems like wounds, burns, cataracts, skin ulcers and scrapes," she says. "And now various researchers worldwide are also studying -- and finding -- strong antimicrobial properties in some honeys." Honey fell from favor as a wound dressing when antibiotic dressings were developed during World War II. But the new research -- and the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria -- are putting this old-time folk remedy into the contemporary medicine chest. Last year, the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration -- the equivalent of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration -- approved honey as a medicine. A company in Australia this year began marketing medical honey as a wound dressing in pharmacies there. It's available in the United States through the Internet. Honey helps wounds in several ways, says Molan. Its thickness provides a protective barrier. The hydrogen peroxide it contains is released slowly, killing germs in the wound. Some as-yet-unknown ingredients reduce inflammation, while others, perhaps amino acids and vitamin C, speed the growth of healthy tissue. Honey even makes wounds smell better, possibly because when bacteria in wounds eat honey's sugars, they give off sweeter-smelling gases. Dozens of studies, in animals and humans, have documented such benefits. One of the most convincing reports, published in the 1998 issue of the journal Burns, tells how researchers from the Dr. V. M. Medical College in Maharashtra, India, compared honey with silver sulfadiazine, the standard treatment for superficial burns. The researchers first smeared honey on gauze and used it to dress the burns of 52 patients. Another 52 patients got the same treatment but with silver sulfadiazine in place of the honey. In the 52 patients treated with honey, 87 percent healed within 15 days, compared with 10 percent of those treated with silver sulfadiazine. The honey-treated patients also experienced less pain, leaking of wound fluid, and scarring. Molan, a biochemist at the University of Waikato in New Zealand, and other researchers have found special bacteria-killing properties in honey made from the nectar of the tea tree (Leptospermum). In laboratory experiments, reported in the November 1992 Journal of Applied Bacteriology, Molan and his colleagues found that it was particularly effective in slaying staphylococcus aureus. This so-called "Golden Staph" -- which infested the English woman's 20-year-old wound -- sometimes survives the most potent antibiotics, killing its victims. "Manuka honey has worked in very desperate cases where nothing else has worked," says Molan.

Reference: CNN

Honey Can Reverse Antibiotic Resistance, Study Suggests

Manuka honey could be an efficient way to clear chronically infected wounds and could even help reverse bacterial resistance to antibiotics, according to research presented at the Society for General Microbiology's Spring Conference in Harrogate. Professor Rose Cooper from the University of Wales Institute Cardiff is looking at how manuka honey interacts with three types of bacteria that commonly infest wounds: Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Group A Streptococci and Meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). Her group has found that honey can interfere with the growth of these bacteria in a variety of ways and suggests that honey is an attractive option for the treatment of drug-resistant wound infections. 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 in New Zealand and is included in modern licensed wound-care products around the world. However, the antimicrobial properties of honey have not been fully exploited by modern medicine as its mechanisms of action are not yet known. Professor Cooper's group is helping to solve this problem by investigating at a molecular level the ways in which manuka honey inhibits wound-infecting bacteria. "Our findings with streptococci and pseudomonads suggest that manuka honey can hamper the attachment of bacteria to tissues which is an essential step in the initiation of acute infections. Inhibiting attachment also blocks the formation of biofilms, which can protect bacteria from antibiotics and allow them to cause persistent infections," explained Professor Cooper. "Other work in our lab has shown that honey can make MRSA more sensitive to antibiotics such as oxacillin -- effectively reversing antibiotic resistance. This indicates that existing antibiotics may be more effective against drug-resistant infections if used in combination with manuka honey." This research may increase the clinical use of manuka honey as doctors are faced with the threat of diminishingly effective antimicrobial options. "We need innovative and effective ways of controlling wound infections that are unlikely to contribute to increased antimicrobial resistance. We have already demonstrated that manuka honey is not likely to select for honey-resistant bacteria," said Professor Cooper. At present, most antimicrobial interventions for patients are with systemic antibiotics. "The use of a topical agent to eradicate bacteria from wounds is potentially cheaper and may well improve antibiotic therapy in the future. This will help reduce the transmission of antibiotic-resistant bacteria from colonised wounds to susceptible patients."

Reference: Science Daily

Try this, honey

There’s a buzz about manuka honey as a wonder treatment for everything from wounds to digestive disorders. Is it the bee’s knees? The healing powers of honey have been well known since Pythagoras’ time. We suck honey lozenges to soothe our throats, we stir in a spoonful to sweeten hot drinks when we’re sick. Now, some scientists believe that one particular kind, manuka honey, has antibacterial properties that can be used to treat everything from skin conditions to digestive disorders. And the buzz about the honey’s healing properties is growing. Once regarded as about as effective as chicken soup, manuka honey is increasingly being used to treat everything from eczema to tummy upsets. Sonia Forde, a Pilates teacher with two children, Maia, 7, and Ruben, 4, became convinced of its healing properties when it cleared up Molluscum contagiosum spots on Ruben’s face. The jelly-like spots are harmless but unsightly and Forde had tried various remedies without success. Her GP had told her that they would eventually disappear of their own accord, but then she heard about a friend who had successfully treated her son’s Molluscum contagiosum by applying manuka honey. Forde tracked down a high-strength honey in her local health-food shop and began dabbing it on Ruben’s spots every night. “Within a few days they were getting smaller,” she says. “Two weeks later, they had completely cleared up.” Made by bees that collect pollen from the manuka bush, Leptospermum scoparium, which grows wild in New Zealand, manuka honey has a slightly medicinal flavour and when applied to skin has been found by some studies to effectively treat wounds and ulcers that have failed to respond to standard medicine. So strong is its anti-bacterial component, that it has been given its own classification, the unique manuka factor (UMF). Strengths range from UMF5, which is believed to be equivalent to a 5 per cent solution of a standard antiseptic, to UMF20, which is equivalent to a 20 per cent solution of antiseptic. Different strengths are recommended for treating different conditions. The honey not only fights infection and aids tissue healing but has been found in clinical trials to reduce inflammation and scarring. It has also been used successfully, when taken orally, on digestive problems, from diarrhoea and indigestion to stomach ulcers and gastroenteritis. Its healing properties appear to be due to the presence of the enzyme glucose oxidase, which produces hydrogen peroxide — an antiseptic — and its high sugar concentration, which inhibits bacterial growth. But researchers are unable to pinpoint any one particular constituent to explain why manuka honey has such strong antibacterial qualities. A study published in the European Journal of Medical Research in 2003 discovered that manuka honey — when compared with conventional treatments for infected postoperative Caesarean sections and hysterectomy wounds — had an 85 per cent success rate compared with 50 per cent for routine treatments. Before Forde applied the honey to her son’s spots, she had already been giving both her children a daily teaspoon of UMF10 honey to ward off common colds and to treat the occasional bout of constipation: “The beauty of it is that they both love the strong honey taste,” she says. “I used to spread it on toast or give them a teaspoon in the morning. It was easy, unlike taking the herbal remedy echinacea, which I have to bribe them both with sweets to get them to swallow.” Last year, manuka-honey wound dressings and sterilised manuka-honey creams were licensed for use in NHS hospitals. And scientists at the University of Wales Institute, Cardiff (UWIC), are investigating whether it could help to combat MRSA, the antibiotic-resistant “superbug”. “In the past year, honey has become accepted into conventional medicine,” says Dr Rose Cooper, the head of the University of Wales Institute research team. “When I embarked on this work eight years ago, it was dismissed as an ancient remedy and an alternative therapy. But there have been cases where MRSA has been eradicated from patients’ wounds which have been treated with the honey.” Cooper believes that although honey cannot combat MRSA once it has reached the bloodstream, it can stop the initial wound infection spreading within the body, and can also halt the spread of the bug to other patients. And while she acknowledges that more clinical trials are needed, she is cautiously optimistic: “It could be very effective preventatively,” she says. “It could be used as a form of infection control.” Meanwhile, in the Forde household, even Sonia’s honey-sceptic husband has become a convert: “Initially he thought it was dubious,” she says. “But when he saw Ruben’s spots disappear it made him think that it must have some sort of healing property. Now if he has a cold coming on, I see him having a teaspoon for himself.”

Reference: Times Online

Sweet Honey for Healthy Teeth

It may sound like a paradox if not a downright contradiction, but honey--sweet, sweet honey--protects against tooth decay, according to a new study presented this week at the "Functional Foods for Oral Health" symposium, part of the annual meeting of the American Association for Dental Research in Chicago, Illinois. Researchers in New Zealand conducted laboratory research to test the effect of honey on several species of dental plaque bacteria. Researchers tested unprocessed honey with midrange antibacterial potency and found that honey protects against tooth decay. "By using average-potency honeys, the growth of bacteria is stopped completely," says lead researcher Peter Molan, PhD, associate professor of biochemistry and director of the Honey Research Unit at the University of Waikato, New Zealand. "Honey has components that prevent dental plaque from forming." The bacterial species responsible for dental caries--including Streptococcus mitis, Streptococcus sobrinus, and Lactobacillus caseii--were tested in a lab. Researchers measured the amount acid produced by these bacteria and found that honey sharply reduced the quantity. "It almost cut the acid production down to zero," says Molan. "Honey also stopped the bacteria from producing dextran, which is a component of dental plaque." The researchers say that unprocessed honey contains an enzyme that produces hydrogen peroxide. The guess is that it is mainly responsible for the unlikely antimicrobial activity of honey. The researchers also say that the honey also made a difference in fighting inflammatory infections of the gum, and they say that honey could be used in treating periodontal disease and gingivitis, which are inflammatory conditions resulting from infected gums. The anti-inflammatory abilities of honey were potent, removing swelling and pain rapidly. "Honey has shown fantastic results in healing wounds," says Molan. "It has good anti-inflammatory components, which clears the infection."

Reference: CBS Healthwatch

Healing Wounds

QUESTIONER: "A friend has just had his appendix out - can you give me the name of the honey that you advised to put on wounds to guard against MRSA." JAN DE VRIES: "The worry about hospital infection is a real issue now. So many people ask me about what they should do to avoid this. Keeping out of hospital is the obvious answer! However, since this is not a sensible answer when operations are needed the next best thing to do is try and keep the wound site as clean as possible. If you can get access to the site apply some Manuka Honey Cream (UMF-18) around the margins of the incision. This will not delay the healing but could help retard any bacterial invasion..."

Reference: BBC Radio Cornwall

The treatment that's the bee's knees

Medicine may be increasingly high-tech, but the latest wonder treatment which is being offered to patients is - honey. Last week, it was announced that bandages soaked in manuka honey are to be given to mouth cancer patients at the Christie Hospital in Manchester to reduce their chances of contracting the MRSA superbug and to lessen wound inflammation following surgery. This is just the latest study investigating this particular type of honey's healing powers. It is used routinely at the Manchester Royal Infirmary for dressing wounds, and other research has found it can fight gum disease, ease digestive problems and soothe sore throats. All honey contains hydrogen peroxide, a substance once used as a wound disinfectant in hospitals - it comes from an enzyme that bees add to nectar. It also contains the enzyme glucose oxidase, which boosts its anti-bacterial properties. This was recognised by the ancient Egyptians and Greeks, who used honey to help heal burns and sores. But manuka honey - made by bees that collect pollen from the manuka bush (Leptospermum scoparium), which grows wild in New Zealand - has other, yet to be identified, ingredients which appear to have health benefits. Professor Peter Molan, director of the honey research centre at the University of Waikato, New Zealand, has called these 'unique manuka factors' (UMFs) and uses this to classify its various strengths. For example, a UMF5 product is thought to be equivalent to a 5 per cent solution of a standard antiseptic; a UMF20, the highest strain, is equal to a 20 per cent solution of antiseptic. The honey costs up to £12 a jar, and some doctors recommend one teaspoonful before meals for general health and digestive problems or it can be applied neat to the skin for rashes and wounds. Here is a guide to manuka honey's other benefits: FIGHTS SUPERBUGS In separate studies, researchers at Aintree Hospital in Liverpool and the University of Wales Institute, Cardiff, found manuka honey could help to combat MRSA, which kills 5,000 British patients a year. Outbreaks of the superbug are estimated to cost the health service £1 billion a year in extra treatment. 'Our research found that even at concentrations as low as 3 per cent, honey is able to inhibit the growth of the bacteria,' says Dr Rose Cooper, the head of the Cardiff team. 'It is probable that at higher concentrations the honey would destroy the MRSA.' Another study published in the European Journal of Medical Research found manuka had an 85 per cent success rate - compared with 50 per cent with routine treatments - when used to treat infected caesarean and hysterectomy wounds. FIGHTS GUM DISEASE Despite its sweetness, manuka honey has been found to disrupt three types of bacteria in the mouth which cause tooth decay. In laboratory tests, it sharply reduced the acid levels produced by Streptococcus mitis, Streptococcus sobrinus and Lactobacillus caseii. Research by Professor Molan has shown that reducing the amount of acid stops the bacteria from producing dextran, which sticks dental plaque to the surface of teeth. He recommends rubbing manuka into the gums after brushing or, since it retains its anti-microbial properties even when diluted up to 50 times, it can be used as a mouthwash. Because it is not known exactly what are the honey's powerful properties and as it is so sweet, it should not be given to children aged under two. SOOTHES SORE THROATS Manuka honey with a high UMF rating could help fight infections, such as the bacteria streptoccous pyogones, that causes sore throats. Professor Molan found that taking a teaspoon three times a day, and keeping it in the mouth for as long as possible before swallowing, prevented most throat infections from developing to the point where a trip to the doctor is necessary. EASES DIGESTIVE PROBLEMS Lower UMF manuka honey can help maintain general health and good digestion. They have helped to treat problems ranging from diarrhoea and indigestion to stomach ulcers. A teaspoon on bread or toast three times a day can also ease acid reflux and heartburn. SOOTHES ACNE, ECZEMA & SUNBURN Trials at the University of Waikato are looking into the effects of manuka honey on acne and eczema. It is suggested it is applied neat to the skin as a face pack and left for 15 to 20 minutes before washing off. The honey is already used by many acne sufferers, and naturopaths recommend anyone prescribed antibiotics for acne to take the honey orally as it will help to balance bacteria in the intestine. Diluted or neat manuka can also be applied to soothe sunburned skin. BOOSTS ENDURANCE Using honey, including manuka of various UMFs, during exercise was found to be as successful at improving performance and power among athletes as specialist energy drinks. Researchers at the exercise and sport nutrition laboratory of the University of Memphis found three to five teaspoons of honey reduced the time to complete a 64km time trial by more than three minutes and improved cycling power by 6 per cent compared to a placebo. 'In the quest for that extra advantage, endurance athletes at all levels turn to carbohydrate sources, such as the many sports drinks on the market, to fuel strenuous exercise,' said Professor Richard Kreider, who led the study. 'We were pleased to find that honey, a cocktail of natural sugars, performed just as well.'

Reference: Daily Mail

Manuka honey is a superbug buster

Manuka honey could be used to beat antibiotic-resistant bacteria including MRSA, studies have shown. The much-hyped health food, made by bees collecting nectar from New Zealand’s manuka trees, has long been feted for its antibacterial properties. But its true potential as a bug buster could now be fulfilled, according to a University of Wales Institute team. Manuka honey’s interaction with the streptococci, pseudomonas aeruginosa and MRSA bacteria, which commonly infect wounds, was tested. With the first two bugs, the honey hampered the bacteria attaching to tissues and stalled serious infections. But it also blocked the formation of ‘biofilms’, which protect bacteria from the effects of antibiotics and give bugs their ‘super’ properties. ‘Other work has shown that honey can make MRSA more sensitive to antibiotics such as oxacillin,’ said study leader Prof Rose Cooper. ‘This indicates existing antibiotics may be more effective against drugresistant infections if used in combination with manuka honey.’ As bacteria evolve, concerns have been raised at the falling number of antibiotics available to treat them. But manuka honey could be a cheap and effective solution, said Prof Rose, because the bugs would not become ‘honey-resistant’. She added: ‘We need innovative and effective ways of controlling wound infections that are unlikely to contribute to increased [antibiotic] resistance. ‘We have already demonstrated that manuka honey is not likely to select for honey-resistant bacteria.’

Reference: Metro.co.uk, 12th April 2011, by Aidan Radnedge

Traditional honey remedy 'could fight MRSA in hospitals'

A type of honey used for centuries to treat wounds may be the ultimate weapon against drug resistant bacteria, research suggests. Manuka honey fights three types of bacteria that commonly infect wounds, including the notorious MRSA 'superbug'. The honey prevents microbial growth in unusual ways and may even be able to reverse resistance to antibiotics, say scientists. Traditional remedies containing honey were used to treat wounds by many ancient civilisations. Bees produce manuka honey from the nectar of the manuka tree in New Zealand. Experts have recognised the value of this type of honey, leading to its inclusion in many modern wound-care products. However, the secrets of its healing powers are still largely unknown.A team led by Professor Rose Cooper, from the University of Wales Institute Cardiff (UWIC), found that manuka honey prevents the attachment of bacteria to tissues - an essential step in the infection process. Prof Cooper said: 'Inhibiting attachment also blocks the formation of biofilms, which can protect bacteria from antibiotics and allow them to cause persistent infections. 'Other work in our lab has shown that honey can make MRSA more sensitive to antibiotics such as oxacillin - effectively reversing antibiotic resistance. 'This indicates that existing antibiotics may be more effective against drug-resistant infections if used in combination with manuka honey.' The findings were presented today at the spring conference of the Society for General Microbiology in Harrogate. Prof Cooper said the research may increase the clinical use of manuka honey as doctors are faced with increasingly resistant microbes. 'We need innovative and effective ways of controlling wound infections that are unlikely to contribute to increased antimicrobial resistance,' she said. 'We have already demonstrated that manuka honey is not likely to select for honey-resistant bacteria.' She added: 'The use of a topical agent to eradicate bacteria from wounds is potentially cheaper and may well improve antibiotic therapy in the future. 'This will help reduce the transmission of antibiotic-resistant bacteria from colonised wounds to susceptible patients.'

Reference: Daily Mail