Honey beats antibiotics
Certain types of honey are more effective at treating surface wounds and infections than bacteria, according to University of Sydney researchers.
In the first study of its kind, the microbiologists found that unlike antibiotics, which only work on some bacteria, two types of honeys are effective with all types of infectious bugs tested.
The honeys used were variations of jelly bush honey from Australia and Manuka honey from New Zealand. Both honeys are currently available in medicinal versions but they are not commonly used in clinical settings.
“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,” said Associate Professor Dee Carter, from the university’s School of Molecular and Microbial Biosciences.
“New antibiotics tend to have short shelf lives, as the bacteria they attack quickly become resistant. Many large pharmaceutical companies have abandoned antibiotic production because of the difficulty of recovering costs. Developing effective alternatives could therefore save many lives”.
“The secret to the success of Manuka and jelly bush honey is that both are produced by bees which feed on tea-tree plants, found in the Australian and New Zealand bushes. They work on pathogens which have a high level of resistance, including superbugs such as MRSA,” said Associate Professor Carter.
“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,” she said.
