Honey Could Treat MRSA

By Kate Devlin, The Telegraph (UK), 6/10/2008

Honey could be used to treat a strain of the superbug MRSA, according to a new study.

In laboratory tests scientists found that four different honeys could kill all trace of the deadly Community Acquired MRSA (CA- MRSA).

Previous studies have shown that a specific type of honey, taken from bees who have eaten the pollen of the New Zealand Manuka bush, could be effective against hospital acquired MRSA, the most common strain of the disease.

The new research is the first to show that natural honey grown in Britain could be used against CA-MRSA.

The researchers, from the Northern Ireland Public Health Laboratory at the City Hospital in Belfast, tested three types of local honey plus a French honey.

They applied the spread to the becteria and left in a cool place for 24 hours.

Monitored every eights hours, there were slight differences in how each individual honey performed.

However, all managed to remove any trace of the infaction within one day, the findings, published in the journal Complimentary Therapies in Clinical Practice shows.

The scientists believe that one reason for the results is that honey contains hydrogen peroxide, the key component of bleach and a powerful disinfectant…