Honey as an antibiotic

Press, 10 February 1986, Page 8

Honey as an antibiotic

Honey — one of the oldest medicines — could take over from antibiotics where bacteria have developed resistance to their over-use.

Waikato university scientists are investigating the medical properties of honey to determine what gives it antibacterial action.

The scientists want to know which bacteria are sensitive to honey, said Dr Peter Molan, senior lecturer in biochemistry. There is great variability of the sterilising properties of different honeys, but they are generally regarded as “quite potently antibacterial,” he said.

Although the sterilising properties of most honeys end with exposure to light and heat, some remain strongly antibacterial, raising the possibility of there being other substances present. Their effect could depend on the floral source of the pollen.

The Waikato research team used a selection of honeys, based on their taste, colour and smell and the known time and place of production. Of the 15 varieties tested,, kanuka, manuka, penny "royal and nodding thistle had the highest antibacterial quality.

Manuka honey was the most effective antibacterial of those tested, Dr Molan said.

A group of aromatic acids related to the commonly used food preservative, sodium benzoate, was identified during the Waikato research as the active compound of manuka honey. The antibacterial properties normally attributed to honey are concentrated sugar, high acidity and the antiseptic hydrogen peroxide. At present no one in New Zealand is using honey for authorised medical purposes, but Dr

Molan says that some overseas medical organisations are using it in cases where traditional treatment is failing.

A 1982 American bee journal report said that doctors at several hospitals overseas were using honey on open surgical wounds. It was claimed the

honey prevented infec-. tion, sped up healing, and, * as it was absorbed more easily, worked faster than « many antibiotics. Dr Molan says that most honeys will prevent -i the growth of bacteria ? even when diluted to one quarter of their original J concentration. The comparison expert- ", meats were carried out on a single species bacteria, H but the effectiveness of < the honeys on a broad spectrum -of bacterial ;! species' is being:' invest!-; gated. ? ‘'. { i Research into the pro- »J perties of penny royal and nodding thistle honeys is - continuing because only a ; small number of samples... were available for the ' previous trial. s A large number of;S samples will have to be tested before concluding - t that these honeys could ) be as useful as manuka -J honey as an antibacterial j substance, Dr Molan said, j The effects of honey on ", fungi may also be investigated.