APIMEDICA Presentation: Therapeutic Uses of Honey

APIMEDICA 2006, October 13, 2006, Athens, Greece
Presenter: Professor Peter Molan, University of Waikato, Honey Research Unit

Summary Points:

* Honey has a very broad spectrum antimicrobial activity.
* It is effective against most species even when diluted 10-fold or more.
* Glucose and oxygen, in the presence of glucose oxidase, produces gluconic acid and hydrogen peroxide.
* There can also be non-peroxide activity of certain honeys.
* Manuka (Leptospermum) honey is unique in its non-peroxide antibacterial activity.
* Catalase present in wound fluid and cells of wound tissues can affect hydrogen peroxide activity.
* Anti-inflammatory effect of honey: visibly reduces wound inflammation, reduces edema, exudation and pain
* Inhalation of honey solution (60 percent w/v) for 10 minutes resulted in an increase of 11–16 percent in peak expiratory flow rate.
* Patients undergoing radiotherapy for otorhinolaryngological tumors were given honey to hold in their mouths immediately before treatment. This resulted in only slight stomatitis, the protection of mucous membranes, reduced pain and no secondary infections.
* Placebo-controlled trial of honey for treatment of gastric ulcers and dyspepsia resulted in a 66 percent cure rate.
* Honey used instead of glucose in oral rehydration fluid (containing electrolytes) for infantile gastroenteritis shortened bacterial diarrhea and did not lengthen non-bacterial diarrhea.
* Honey used on 102 patients with various ophthalmological disorders (e.g. keratitis, conjunctivitis, blepharitis) not responding to conventional treatment resulted in improvement in 85 percent of the cases.
* Manuka honey rapidly clears acne.
* Topical honey application of honey gave 30–40 percent better results than did acyclovir (Zovirax) for the treatment of recurrent herpes simplex lesions.
* Honey has been found to suppress the growth of tumor cells implanted in laboratory animals.* A spray of Manuka honey + water (1:1) is good for clearing nasal infections.