https://www.barkandwhiskers.com/2015-07-23-nl-manuka-honey/
https://www.barkandwhiskers.com/p/00ede94e-0bdd-4151-b9a2-8ae156808be6/
By Dr. Becker
Scientists have recently discovered another reason why we MUST save natural pollinators from extinction, especially in this case: the bees. In addition to the invaluable pollination services they provide, honey bees may also provide a source of alternative tools to fight infections in the face of the ever-increasing number of antibiotic-resistant pathogens.
Researchers at Lund University in Sweden have identified 13 strains of lactic acid bacteria found in fresh honey that produce a host of active antimicrobial compounds. The results of their study were published in the International Journal of Wounds in September 2014.1
Bacteria found in fresh honey cures wound infections
Fresh raw honey has been used throughout history to treat infections. It is found in the honey stomach bees and is very different from the manufactured honey sold in grocery stores. In fact, highly processed store-bought honey is akin to high-fructose corn syrup, which is more likely to increase infection and should Never be used to treat topical wounds.
Bee honey bacteria has been tested in the laboratory on serious human wound infections such as MRSA (methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus), Pseudomonas aeruginosa and resistant to vancomycin Enterococcus (ERV). When the bacteria was applied to infectious organisms in the laboratory, it neutralized them all.
Lactic acid bacteria has also been tested on horses with persistent injuries. The bacteria was mixed with honey and applied to the wounds of 10 horses – wounds that had not responded to any other treatment.
The result? The honey mixture healed all the horses’ wounds.
The same formula has also been shown to protect against collapse of a bee colony.
Live lactic acid bacteria have unique properties not found in store-bought honey
Lund University researchers believe these promising results are due to the broad spectrum of active antimicrobial substances found in honey in a bee’s stomach. According to the study’s lead author, Tobias Olofsson:
“Antibiotics are mostly an active substance, effective against a narrow spectrum of bacteria. When used live, these 13 lactic acid bacteria produce the right type of antimicrobial compounds as needed, depending on the threat.
“It appears to have worked well for millions of years in protecting bee health and honey from other harmful microorganisms. However, because store-bought honey does not contain live lactic acid bacteria, many of its unique properties have been lost recently. times.”2
The researchers plan to conduct further studies on using honey to treat topical infections in humans and animals.
Manuka honey
manuka honey is produced by bees that pollinate the manuka shrub (Leptospermum scoparium), which is a medicinal plant native to New Zealand. Its active ingredient, methylglyoxal (MG), is a compound found in small amounts in most types of honey. In manuka honey, MG comes from the conversion of dihydroxyacetone, a highly concentrated substance in the nectar of manuka flowers.3
Clinical trials have shown that Manuka honey can effectively eradicate over 250 clinical strains of bacteria, including some antibiotic-resistant varieties.4
Manuka contains an exclusive ingredient with antimicrobial qualities called Unique Manuka Factor (UMF) which gives it extraordinary antibacterial activity. Honey releases hydrogen peroxide through an enzymatic process that gives it its antiseptic qualities, but active manuka honey contains a “special something” that makes it far superior to other types of honey when it is released. acts to kill bacteria.
The level of UMF varies, so each batch of manuka is graded and priced based on the amount of UMF it contains. The higher the concentration of UMF, the darker, thicker and more expensive the honey. A UMF rating of 10 or higher is recommended for medical use.
The honey used to treat wounds is medical grade honey, not just a jar found on a shelf in a kitchen. Medical grade honey is grown to ensure it does not contain bacterial contaminants.
The extraordinary healing properties of Manuka honey
I use manuka honey extensively on my animal patients to manage resistant skin infections (e.g., hot spots, feline acne, and acral lick dermatitis) and large wounds that cannot be closed surgically.
This is a (pretty gruesome) photo of a large soft tissue degloving wound on the left hind leg of a homeless cat that I found in the ditch on her way to work in car. The wound had developed gangrene.
I had heard about the antimicrobial effects of manuka honey, so I decided to try it on this poor cat. The only treatment he received for his terribly infected wound was daily application of manuka honey and a light dressing. (I also gave him oral pain medication, but the only treatment for the wound itself was manuka honey.) He healed remarkably quickly and required no antibiotics.
We named the cat “Manuka” and my niece, Blair (pictured), adopted him.
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