Honey is a new approach to fighting antibiotic resistance:
How sweet it is!
DALLAS, March 16, 2014 — Honey, that delectable condiment
for breads and fruits, could be one sweet solution to the serious, ever-growing
problem of bacterial resistance to antibiotics, researchers said here today.
Medical professionals sometimes use honey successfully as a
topical dressing, but it could play a larger role in fighting infections, the
researchers predicted. Their study was part of the 247th National Meeting of
the American Chemical Society (ACS), the world’s largest scientific society.
The meeting, attended by thousands of scientists, features
more than 10,000 reports on new advances in science and other topics. It is
being held at the Dallas Convention Center and area hotels through Thursday.
“The unique property of honey lies in its ability to fight
infection on multiple levels, making it more difficult for bacteria to develop
resistance,” said study leader Susan M. Meschwitz, Ph.D. That is, it uses a
combination of weapons, including hydrogen peroxide, acidity, osmotic effect,
high sugar concentration and polyphenols — all of which actively kill bacterial
cells, she explained. The osmotic effect, which is the result of the high sugar
concentration in honey, draws water from the bacterial cells, dehydrating and
killing them….
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