Specific Non-Peroxide Antibacterial Effect of Manuka Honey on
the Staphylococcus aureus Proteome
Int J Antimicrob Agents, 2012 May 11
Manuka honey, derived from the New Zealand flowering plant
Leptospermum scoparium, shows promise as a topical antibacterial agent and
effective chronic wound dressing.
The aim of this study was to determine the non-peroxide
antibacterial effects of this honey on the proteome of the common wound
pathogen Staphylococcus aureus.
Proteomic analysis was performed on cells treated for a
short time with manuka honey compared with the proteome of untreated cells as
well as cells treated with a Leptospermum honey sample without antibacterial
activity. Treatment with manuka honey resulted in a significant decrease in the
bacterial cell growth rate as well as downregulation of ten and upregulation of
two proteins. Nine of these proteins were also differentially expressed by
cells treated with the inactive Leptospermum honey, but to a lesser degree, and
the rate of bacterial growth was not affected. The differentially expressed
proteins have roles in ribosomal function, protein synthesis, metabolic
processes and transcription.
Manuka honey uniquely caused downregulation of two proteins
[dihydrolipoamide dehydrogenase (DLD) and elongation factor Tu (EF-Tu)]
associated with two of these pathways as well as upregulation of one
stress-related protein [cold shock protein C (CspC)].
The proteomic profile following treatment with manuka honey
differed from the profiles of other antibacterial agents, indicating a unique
mode of action and its potential value as a novel antimicrobial agent.
1 comment:
Thank you for sharing this information. I have found medical honey to be helpful in the treatment of chronic (non-healing) wounds. The honey can reduce the PH of the wound and assist with the debridement (removal of dead tissue) of the wound.
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