Natural Healing of Wounds Using Honey

Honey has been known for it’s health benefits for thousands of years, it is also a known antibiotic.  The natural healing of wounds using honey was largely uninvestigated, however, a new type of honey has just been discovered- Manuka Honey which has been studied and is receiving great marks for it’s ability to heal wounds.

 

Natural Healing of Wounds Using Honey

Manuka Honey has been found to heal wounds

Manuka honey is made from the nectar of a manuka flower (Leptospermum scoparium and L. polyglaifolium), which grows in New Zealand and Australia. It is usually darker in color than most honeys and has a strong flavor.

Investigators at Cardiff Metropolitan University report that manuka honey is capable of destroying Streptococcus pyogenes, a bacterium normally found on the skin that is often associated with non-healing (chronic) wounds. Such wounds resist treatment because the bacteria gather together and form a biofilm, which prevents drugs from reaching the wound.

Manuka honey appears to work in two ways to help chronic wounds: it can destroy the biofilms formed by S. pyogenes, and it also prevents the bacteria from binding to wound tissue in the first place.

In this study, the researchers found that small concentrations of manuka honey were adequate to prevent biofilm from forming. When they added the honey to established bioflims grown in the laboratory, 85% of the bacteria in the Petri dishes died within 2 hours.

Using manuka honey for wounds has several advantages, with one being that “no instances of honey-resistant bacteria have been reported to date, or seem likely,” explained Dr. Maddocks. She also noted that honey is also less expensive than using antibiotics, and the honey may complement antibiotic treatment. Original Article

The Natural healing of wounds using honey raises exciting possibilities for those interested in natural healing.  The fact that no instances of honey resistant bacteria have been found is just another proof that the earth is full of healing foods which are healthier for our bodies than drugs.

Have you ever used honey on your wound? I’d be interested to know if the regular honey that you and I can get from our beehives is equally effective.