Manuka honey effective against antibiotic resistant MRSA

Scientists have been warning of a possible medical catastrophe from an epidemic of antibiotic resistant superbugs. Manuka honey may be a natural and ancient solution to a modern health disaster.

(Article republished from GreenMedInfo.com)

For years doctors have been overprescribing antibiotics.  A University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine study found physicians commonly use antibiotics to treat hospitalized patients with acute viral respiratory track infections, in spite of the fact antibiotics are known to be ineffective for these infections.[i]

And the growing popularity of antibacterial soaps and hand sanitizers contributes to the saturation of the world in antibacterials.

As a result, many scientists have been warning of a possible medical catastrophe from an epidemic of antibiotic resistant superbugs. The CDC itself announced a few years ago that conventional antibiotic-based approaches to infections were hopeless against so-called ‘nightmare bacteria.’ Fortunately, manuka honey may be a natural and ancient solution to a modern health disaster.

Researchers at the University of Technology Sydney have shown that medical-grade manuka honey, also known as Medihoney, improves the effectiveness of antibiotics.  It can prevent bacteria from becoming resistant to the medications. Medihoney is a highly-absorbent seaweed soaked in special, sterilized manuka honey.

The study published in the open-access science journal PLOS ONE used Medihoney in combination with the antibiotic rifampicin to treat skin and chronic wound infections. Normally, if the superbug MRSA (golden staph) were treated with just rifampicin, the superbug became resistant to the rifampicin very quickly.

Researchers were excited to find that when Medihoney and rifampicin are used in combination to treat MRSA, the honey somehow prevented the emergence of rifampicin-resistant MRSA.

Some studies had previously shown that unlike pharmaceutical antibiotics, manuka honey does not promote the growth and spread of antibiotic-resistant superbugs. The researchers at UTS suggest that manuka honey may be a new weapon in the fight against drug-resistant bacteria such as MRSA.

What is manuka honey?

Honey has been used since ancient times to treat multiple conditions. It wasn’t until the late 19th century that researchers discovered that honey has natural antibacterial qualities. Of all honey, manuka honey is particularly healing. It comes uniquely from honey produced by bees from the flower of the manuka plant in New Zealand.

Manuka honey amplifies and extends the natural antibacterial properties of honey. It is known to have potent broad-spectrum antibacterial activity in treating infected chronic wounds and serious skin infections.

The primary active ingredient in manuka honey is methylglyoxal (MG), a compound found in most types of honey, but usually only in small quantities.

You may see manuka honey labeled as “UMF honey.” This refers to “Unique Manuka Factor,” a scale that compares the honey with standard disinfectants. The UMF can run as high as 20 percent total content in some higher quality varieties.  UMF 10 or higher is generally considered therapeutic grade.

Besides its use in wound care, manuka honey has also been found effective in treating stomach ulcers, gastritis, and other digestive problems. Because it has antibiotic, anti-fungal and antiviral effects, manuka honey has also been used for sore throats, colds, dermatitis, acne, conjunctivitis, sinusitis, acid reflux and heartburn.

Manuka honey is dark in color with an intense flavor thanks to it tea tree roots. It can be used just like regular honey as a sweetener.

Manuka honey is available in health food stores and online. Make sure it’s from New Zealand.

Read more at: GreenMedInfo.com