Research: Manuka honey kills bacteria, incl. P Aeruginosa

[Gert van der Hoek]

Microbiology. 2012 Oct 18

Manuka honey is bactericidal against Pseudomonas aeruginosa and results in differential expression of oprF and algD.

Roberts AE, Maddocks SE, Cooper RA.
Source
Cardiff Metropolitan University.

Abstract
The presence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in surface wounds is of clinical significance and can lead to persistent infections. Manuka honey has gained ground in clinical settings due to its effective therapeutic action and broad spectrum of antibacterial activity.

In this study, the effect of manuka honey on P. aeruginosa was investigated using MIC, MBC, growth kinetics, confocal microscopy, atomic force microscopy and real-time PCR. A bactericidal mode of action for manuka honey against P. aeruginosa was deduced (12% w/v MIC; 16% w/v MBC) and confirmed by confocal and atomic for microscopy, which showed extensive cell lysis after 60 minutes exposure to inhibitory concentrations of manuka honey.

The inability of honey treated cells to form micro-colonies was demonstrated and investigated using Q-PCR for three key micro-colony forming genes: algD, lasR, and oprF. algD expression increased 18-fold whereas oprF expression decreased 8-fold following honey treatment; lasR expression remained unaltered.

These findings confirm that manuka honey is effective at inducing cell lysis and identifies two targets, at the genetic level, that might be involved in this process.

PubMED

 

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: Research: Manuka honey kills bacteria, incl. P Aeruginosa

Honey, I killed the superbug

BY: JOHN STAPLETON June 18, 2009

AUSTRALIAN researchers have been astonished to discover a cure-all right under their noses -- a honey sold in health food shops as a natural medicine.

Far from being an obscure health food with dubious healing qualities, new research has shown the honey kills every type of bacteria scientists have thrown at it, including the antibiotic-resistant "superbugs" plaguing hospitals and killing patients around the world.

Some bacteria have become resistant to every commonly prescribed antibacterial drug. But scientists found that Manuka honey, as it is known in New Zealand, or jelly bush honey, as it is known in Australia, killed every bacteria or pathogen it was tested on.

It is applied externally and acts on skin infections, bites and cuts.

The honey is distinctive in that it comes only from bees feeding off tea trees native to Australia and New Zealand, said Dee Carter, from the University of Sydney's School of Molecular and Microbial Biosciences.

The findings are likely to have a major impact on modern medicine and could lead to a range of honey-based products to replace antibiotic and antiseptic creams.

Read more: The Australian

 

[Gert van der Hoek]

Re: Research: Manuka honey kills bacteria, incl. P Aeruginosa

Improving Antibiotic Activity against Wound Pathogens with Manuka Honey In Vitro.

PLoS One. 2012;7(9):e45600. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0045600.

Published online 2012 September 26

Abstract

Following the discovery of synergistic action between oxacillin and manuka honey against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, this study was undertaken to search for further synergistic combinations of antibiotics and honey that might have potential in treating wounds.

Fifteen antibiotics were tested with and without sublethal concentrations of manuka honey against each of MRSA and Pseudomonas aeruginosa using disc diffusion, broth dilution, E strip, chequerboard titration and growth curves.

Five novel antibiotic and manuka honey combinations were found that improved antibacterial effectiveness in vitro and these offer a new avenue of future topical treatments for wound infections caused by these two important pathogens.

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3458911/

Although P. aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen (i.e. more likely to infect those patients who are already very sick as opposed to healthy patients), it can cause a wide range of infections, particularly among immunocompromised people (HIV or cancer patients) and persons with severe burns, diabetes mellitus or cystic fibrosis.

P. aeruginosa is one of the more common causes of healthcare-associated infections and is increasingly resistant to many antibiotics.

More: HPA