Manuka honey is showing potential against deadly hospital super bugs like MRSA

We receive many letters from readers who are due to go into hospital, or know a loved one who is, and are worried about the threat that deadly super bugs like MRSA pose.

And its no wonder, as more and more patients are developing this infection, which is unresponsive to antibiotics and other forms of topical treatment. 

Thats why Im bringing you this report on the incredible healing powers of manuka honey, which among other things has been found to be effective against MRSA. In addition, its also beneficial against Helicobacter pylori infections (such as peptic ulcers and gastritis), diabetic foot ulcers, post-surgical wounds you name it, this honey can probably heal it.

Manuka honey is derived from the manuka bush a shrub in the tea tree family, which is indigenous to New Zealand (with a close relative in some parts of Australia), and which only blooms for three weeks out of the year. This is not your typical honey, although all types of honey demonstrate antiseptic ability to some extent.

The science behind historys sweetest bacteria-buster

In order to fully grasp how manuka honey works, it helps to understand the antiseptic properties of ordinary honey first. These are due to several factors. The first of these is honeys osmotic or water-withdrawing effect. Not only does its ability to draw fluid from tissues give wounds a moist healing environment (absolutely necessary for new tissue growth) but it also draws harmful bacteria out and away from the point of infection.

Moreover, honeys fructose and glucose molecules interact strongly with water, leaving very few H2O molecules free. This inhibits the growth of the many strains of bacteria that require interaction with water in order to multiply. Nevertheless, there are still strains of bacteria that thrive under such conditions so this quality alone cant offer complete protection.

Another healing aspect of ordinary honey is its acidity. The ideal pH range for the sustained growth of most pathogens is between 7.2 and 7.4. With a pH of between 3.2 and 4.5, however, the environment that honey creates around a wound is effectively hostile toward bacteria. But unfortunately, when diluted by bodily fluids of a higher pH, honeys natural acidity is reduced, preventing it from reaching deeper tissue and making for a much less reliable antibacterial agent.

The third and most noteworthy element of honeys curative ability is its hydrogen peroxide content that is produced after bees secrete glucose oxidase into the nectar. However, the antibacterial capabilities of this hydrogen peroxide are short-lived, as during the process of maturation the honeys acidity will cause the hydrogen peroxide to decompose by rendering glucose oxidase virtually inactive. For this reason, full-strength honey does not offer significant protection from bacteria.

All things considered, theres no doubt that honey is a great thing to keep around the house for minor cuts or burns and even for treating more serious conditions if handled correctly but its limitations are also pretty clear. An ointment for stubborn post-surgical wounds and severe bedsores would have to be leaps and bounds more powerful not to mention stable enough as to be impervious to outside factors such as temperature, light, moisture and age. And thats where the phytochemicals in manuka honey set it apart.

Manuka honey succeeds where other types of honey fail

Unlike other varieties of honey, manuka has an additional antibacterial property that isnt attributable to acidity, osmolarity, or the activity of hydrogen peroxide evidenced primarily by its being twice as effective as other forms of honey against certain types of aggressive bacteria, including E. coli and MRSA (J Appl Bacteriol. 1992 Nov; 73(5): 388-94).

One of its advantages is that dilution doesnt affect its antibacterial activity, so all of its original acidity is spared. It also doesnt require oxygen making it ideal for dressings and the cavities of deep wounds. And most importantly, its activity is unaffected by the enzymes present in wound fluid which is one of the major shortcomings of other types of honey in this context (J Pharm Pharmacol. 1991 Dec; 43(12):817-22).

Manuka honey also has other health benefits including an ability to help combat gastric ulcers. A study performed by Professor of Biochemistry Dr Molan and his team at The Honey Research Unit at the University of Waikato in New Zealand, showed that five different biopsies of gastric ulcers all responded positively when exposed to a solution consisting of 20 per cent manuka honey. A 40- per cent solution of another type of honey (the antibacterial activity of which relied on hydrogen peroxide alone) elicited no response at all (J R Soc Med. 1994 Jan;87(1):9-12).

Further research has revealed that a solution consisting of as little as 5 per cent active manuka is still capable of delivering significant protection most likely, the research team concluded, due to the inhibition of helicobacter pylori, something which may explain one of honeys traditional uses as a treatment for dyspepsia.

In another study conducted over a 21-day trial period, 30 volunteers were assigned to chew or suck on either sugarless gum or a chewable form of manuka honey for ten minutes, three times a day, in order to assess the possible effects the honey might have on gingivitis and plaque. At the end of the trial, both plaque scores and bleeding sites were significantly reduced in the manuka group. No significant changes were noted in the control group (J Int Acad Periodontol. 2004 Apr;6(2):63-7).

To benefit from manuka honey, take two to three teaspoonfuls (10-15g) before meals.