Antibiotic resistance is a major issue facing healthcare providers today, giving rise to the prevalence of “superbugs” that can’t be effectively treated with antibiotics. Recent trends common illnesses like tuberculosis, malaria, HIV and influenza all point to the disturbing conclusion that antibiotic and antimicrobial resistance is a serious global health concern, according to the World Health Organization.
While new forms of antibiotics are constantly being researched to adapt to this ever-changing climate, a potential answer to the problem of dealing with troublesome microbes mayd be close to home.
Honey has been known for it’s antimicrobial effects for many years, but it’s only relatively recently that studies have been done to fully explore the possibility of honey being a solution to the problem of microbial resistance.
At a meeting of the American Chemical Society in Dallas, researchers reported on recent findings regarding the anti-microbial properties of honey.
“The unique property of honey lies in its ability to fight infection on multiple levels, making it more difficult for bacteria to develop resistance,” said study leader Susan M. Meschwitz.
Honey, Meschwitz reported, fights bacteria a number of ways – by dehydrating bacterial cells, and also by inhibiting the formation of disease-causing bacteria.
It is these properties that can be attributed to honey’s historical use in wound treatment and infection prevention, but also to it’s potential future role in fighting antibiotic resistant bacteria.
The Best Honey In The World
Not all honeys are created equal, though; processed honey from the supermarket does not have the same antimicrobial effects as fresh, raw honey. Manuka honey, collected from bees that live in the manuka tree in New Zealand, has been shown to have the most powerful healing potential.