Honey Effective Against Antibiotic Resistant MRSA, VRS

New Paper Highlights Antimicrobial Effectiveness of Medical-Grade Honey in Topical Wound Care

With MRSA and VRS seriously compromising treatment options, dressing wounds with honey provides an alternative, according to a recent paper published in the European Journal of Clinical Microbiological Infectious Diseases.

Newswise — According to a recent paper published in the European Journal of Clinical Microbiological Infectious Diseases, a certain kind of honey can be an effective agent in topical wound care, particularly where antibiotic resistance is an issue. The irony is that this most exciting new treatment has been around since the dawn of history—honey was first used as a first aid treatment four thousand years ago in Ancient Egypt.

Entitled, “The unusual antibacterial activity of medical-grade Leptospermum honey: antibacterial spectrum, resistance and transcriptome analysis,” the report describes the palliative effects of Leptospermum honey, a particular kind of honey indigenous to New Zealand and Australia. Leptospermum honey has been shown to possess unique plant derived components that make it an ideal wound dressing, including novel antimicrobial and immune-modulatory compounds. In addition, the honey has several properties that also aid in wound healing. Among these properties are the honey’s low pH levels, its ability to help remove non-vital tissue from the wound area, the stimulation of new tissue growth, and reported reduction in scarring and pain levels. What is also key is that all these benefits exist without any toxicity to healthy tissue. “There is an urgent need for new, effective agents in topical wound care,” the report begins, “and selected honeys show potential in this regard.”

The paper also describes how medical-grade honey might be a strong combatant against antibiotic resistant pathogens such as MRSA and vancomycin-resistant strains (VRS)…