Properties in Manuka Honey can reverse antibiotic resistance

Properties in Manuka Honey can reverse antibiotic resistance

Manuka honey could be an efficient way to clear chronically infected wounds and could even help reverse bacterial resistance to antibiotics, according to research presented at the Society for General Microbiology’s Spring Conference in Harrogate.

Professor Cooper’s group is helping to solve this problem by investigating at a molecular level the ways in which manuka honey inhibits wound-infecting bacteria. “Our findings with streptococci and pseudomonads suggest that manuka honey can hamper the attachment
of bacteria to tissues which is an essential step in the initiation of acute infections.

Inhibiting attachment also blocks the formation of biofilms, which can protect bacteria from antibiotics and allow them to cause persistent infections,” explained Professor Cooper. “Other work in our lab has shown that honey can make MRSA more sensitive
to antibiotics such as oxacillin – effectively reversing antibiotic resistance.

This indicates that existing antibiotics may be more effective against drug-resistant infections if used in combination with manuka honey.”

At present, most antimicrobial interventions for patients are with systemic antibiotics. “The use of a topical agent to eradicate bacteria from wounds is potentially cheaper and may well improve antibiotic therapy in the future.

The unique properties of UMF manuka honey can help heal a huge range of conditions from stomach ulcers to infections, as well as increasing your energy levels and general well-being.

This research may increase the clinical use of manuka honey as doctors are faced with the threat of diminishingly effective antimicrobial options.

“We need innovative and effective ways of controlling wound infections that are unlikely to contribute to increased antimicrobial resistance. We have already demonstrated that manuka honey is not likely to select for honey-resistant bacteria,” Cooper said.

“Other work in our lab has shown that honey can make MRSA more sensitive to antibiotics such as oxacillin – effectively reversing antibiotic resistance.

The use of a tropical agent to eradicate bacteria from the wounds is potentially cheaper and may well improve antibiotic therapy in the future. This will help reduce the transmission of antibiotic-resistant bacteria from colonised wounds to susceptible patients.

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Posted by Hassan Ali on Nov 1 2011. Filed under Europe. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry