Chronic wounds could benefit from traditional medicine. 19 November 2002

KENDALL POWELL

Honey could help to treat wounds that refuse to heal. Researchers seeking scientific support for honey's legendary medicinal properties have found that it stops bacteria from growing - even strains that are resistant to some antibiotics1.

Records of people covering wounds in honey stretch back to ancient Egypt. Until recently it was believed that honey's syrupy consistency kept air out of wounds, and that its high sugar content slowed bacterial growth. The new evidence suggests that honey must also have other properties that kill bacteria.

Compared with an artificial honey solution of the same thickness and sugar concentration, natural honey kills bacteria three times more effectively, Rose Cooper, a microbiologist at the University of Wales Institute, Cardiff, and colleagues have shown. They are not sure what the active ingredients are.

Some types of honey, when diluted, form hydrogen peroxide, which kills bacteria and can be used to clean wounds. But Cooper's team rules out the possibility that hydrogen peroxide is the only force at play.

Both pasture honey, which generates hydrogen peroxide, and manuka honey, which does not, stop bacteria from growing in the lab, they demonstrate. They used strains of Staphlyococcus and Enterococcus that can withstand 'last resort' antibiotics, such as methicillin and vancomycin. The microbes were collected from wounds and hospital surfaces.

Honey may be antimicrobial because of enzymes secreted by the bees that make it; alternatively, its activity could be due to its acidity or to chemicals from the original plant nectar, Cooper speculates. "It's a traditional remedy that has been overlooked," she says. "To reintroduce it, we must have evidence to support its antibacterial and healing properties."

Andrea Nelson, a nurse researcher who has worked on chronic wound healing at the University of York, UK, agrees. To convince sceptical doctors, clinical trials must be carried out applying honey to patients' wounds, she says.

Infected wounds cause pain, result in extra time in hospital, are costly to treat and can lead to complications and even death. Treating them has become a problem, as prolonged use of antibiotics can result in the emergence of resistant strains of bacteria.

Clinical trials must be carried out Andrea Nelson University of York

For this reason, other alternative remedies are also being explored, says Nelson. These include iodine, silver-based compounds and 'larval therapy', in which maggots are applied to the wound to eat away dead tissue and break down bacteria.

While scientists continue to scratch their heads over honey's secrets, some companies are already making sterilized tubes of honey and honey-impregnated bandages for treating wounds.

Cooper is careful to add a warning: "We're not suggesting that anyone should rush out and buy honey in supermarkets to treat wounds." The heat-processing of store-bought honey would probably eliminate any antibacterial properties, she says - anyone with a stubborn wound should seek professional treatment.

-- Anonymous, November 19, 2002

Answers

curious.

I was reading a Steven King book a couple weeks ago, Black House with Peter Straub, and in it the main character used honey to help the other guys to not be affected by 'evil's machinations.' He told them to put the honey under their nostrils. I thought it was just something he did for psychological strength. Hmmm...

-- Anonymous, November 20, 2002

It may prefent the machinations of evil, but I fear to imagine what it would do to the machinations of all the bugs in these southern United States.

-- Anonymous, November 20, 2002

I always get a big kick out of it when scientists make these big discoveries and it is something my granny knew many years ago!!!!!!

-- Anonymous, November 20, 2002

I bet your granny would have known about slippery elm too. It's widely used in England and probably Europe and I've known it to be in use since I was a very small child. I'm sure it was in use for centuries before that! I give it to Polly to help with her tummy and it has other wualities besides soothing an acid stomach. It's available in powdered form at your local whole foods joint; you mix a teaspoon with a cup of water (prefereably distilled but at least filtered), heat over medium heat till it boils, stirring constantly, cook until syrupy, fairly thick (a few minutes), and then let cool. Can keep in fridge for a week after that. Don't see why you can't make a big batch and freeze it in small portions (like a week's worth). In fact, I think I'll do that.

-- Anonymous, November 20, 2002

wualities = a good thing.

-- Anonymous, November 21, 2002

IHey, BF, does anal retentive have a hyphen?

-- Anonymous, November 21, 2002

no, it has a !

LOL [edited to add:] See? (!)

-- Anonymous, November 21, 2002