Honey’s H2O2 Level is Strong Predictor of Antibacterial Activity

Effect of Hydrogen Peroxide on Antibacterial Activities of Canadian Honeys
Canadian Journal of Microbiology, 52(12): 1228–1237 (2006)

Abstract: Honey is recognized as an efficacious topical antimicrobial agent in the treatment of burns and wounds. The antimicrobial activity in some honeys depends on the endogenous hydrogen peroxide content. This study was aimed to determine whether honey's hydrogen peroxide level could serve as a honey-specific, activity-associated biomarker that would allow predicting and assessing the therapeutic effects of honey…

Canadian honeys demonstrated moderate to high antibacterial activity against both bacterial species. Both MIC90 and MIC50 revealed that the honeys exhibited a selective growth inhibitory activity against E. coli, and this activity was strongly influenced by endogenous H2O2 concentrations…

These data indicate that all Canadian honeys exhibited antibacterial activity, with higher selectivity against E. coli than B. subtilis, and that these antibacterial activities were correlated with hydrogen peroxide production in honeys. Hydrogen peroxide levels in honey, therefore, is a strong predictor of the honey's antibacterial activity.

Résumé : Le miel est reconnu comme étant un agent antimicrobien topique efficace pour le traitement de brûlures et de blessures. L'activité antimicrobienne de certains miels dépend de leur contenu en peroxyde d'hydrogène endogène. Cette étude avait pour but de déterminer si les niveaux de peroxyde d'hydrogène dans le miel pourraient être employés comme biomarqueurs spécifiques au miel et associés à l'activité qui pourrait permettre de prédire et d'évaluer les effets thérapeutiques du miel…

Les niveaux de peroxyde d'hydrogène dans le miel sont ainsi des prédicteurs importants de l'activité antibactérienne du miel.