Honey as Antibiotics

Honey as the traditional medicine on preventing of a growing prevalence of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. Staphylococcus bacteria that resistant to methicillin and other drug-resistant infections kill or hasten the death of 8,000 British patients per year, while MRSA now kills more people in US than annually AIDS. At the Royal United Hospital in Bath, England, many wounds are now being disinfected with Manuka honey rather than pharmaceutical antibiotics.

Honey has been used in healing for long ago, but now have been develop of new product that associated with honey and bring it into a modern healthcare setting. Honey is known as one of the oldest forms of medicine, and was employed both as food and antibiotic by the ancient Egyptians and more recently, by German doctors during World War I. High of sugar content in honey make this substance almost chemically inert, it make unavailable for bacteria growth, fungi and viruses growth. A naturally occurring enzyme known as glucose oxidase also make honey acidic enough to create a hostile environment for most bacteria.

Honey for antibiotic that is used in Royal United Hospital is not the same as honey that is usually sell in supermarket or minimarket. Honey that is usually use for antibiotic called as Manuka honey, which is produced from manuka plant, a natural honey from certain plant in New Zealand. This honey is then irradiated to kill any trace bacterial spores.

According to the manuka honey product criteria, this honey has proven effective at killing MRSA in scientific trial. Honey already contains a variety of chemicals that can be beneficial to the body, such as antioxidant pinocembrin, which only occur in honey.