Honey a ‘Safe, Satisfying and Effective Healing Agent’

Wound Healing With Honey--A Randomised Controlled Trial
South African Medical Journal, 2006 Sep;96(9):831-5

Objectives: To compare honey and IntraSite Gel as woundhealing agents, to record side-effects, gauge patient satisfaction and calculate the cost-effectiveness of the honey used.

Design And Setting: A prospective, randomised, double-blind controlled trial was carried out among goldmine workers.

Outcome Measures: Outcome measures were healing times of shallow wounds and abrasions; side-effects; patient satisfaction with treatment; and amount of honey and IntraSite Gel used.

Results: The mean healing times of shallow wounds treated with honey or with IntraSite Gel did not differ significantly (p = 0.75, 95% confidence interval (CI): -5.41; 7.49 days)…All patients in both treatment groups were either satisfied or extremely satisfied with treatment. The average cost of treatment per patient was R0.49 with honey and R12.03 with with IntraSite Gel.

Conclusions: A distinction should be made between shallow wounds and abrasions when wound healing is being measured. There was no evidence of a real difference between honey and IntraSite Gel as healing agents. Honey is a safe, satisfying and effective healing agent. Natural honey is extremely costeffective.