• Magazine
    • Past Issues
    • Subscribe
    • Change Mailing Address
    • Surveys
    • Guidelines for Authors
    • Editorial Calendar
    • Editorial Deadlines
    • Dynamic Chiropractic
      • Newspaper
      • Subscription
    • The American Chiropractor
      • Magazine
  • Practice
    • Business Tips
    • Chiropractic Schools
    • Clinical & Technique
    • eBooks
    • eCourses
    • Sponsored Content
    • Infographics
    • Quizzes
    • Wellness & Nutrition
    • Personal Growth
    • Podcast
    • Coronavirus (COVID-19)
  • Resource Centers
  • Products & Services
    • Buyers Guide
    • Products Directory
    • Submit a Product
    • Vendor Login
  • Datebook
    • Become an Events Poster
    • Post an Event
    • View Events
  • Jobs
    • Jobs
    • Post a Job
  • Advertise
    • Advertising Information
    • Media Kit
    • Contact Us

Your Online Chiropractic Community

Chiropractic Economics Your Online Chiropractic Community
Subscribe
  • Home
  • Current Issue
  • News
  • Webinars
  • Chiropractic Research
  • Students

The natural anitbiotic powerhouse you need to know about

Tina Beychok June 19, 2018

Honey is no exception in this regard, particularly manuka honey. What is is, what makes it so special, and what are the benefits of manuka honey?

Honey has been used as a natural sweetener for thousands of years.

It is prominently featured in many cuisines from around the world. As often happens with food ingredients in various cultures, such as turmeric and garlic, they also serve as powerful medicinal agents for centuries. Honey is no exception in this regard, particularly manuka honey. What is manuka honey, what makes it so special, and what conditions does it treat?

What is manuka honey?

Manuka honey is specifically native to New Zealand, produced by introduced European honey bees that collect pollen from the mānuka or tea tree (Leptospermum scoparium).1 Its active ingredient, methylglyoxal, has a number of unique antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, and antioxidant benefits.2,4

In traditional medicine, wound dressings were covered with manuka honey before being applied, in order to shorten the healing time.2 Interest in manuka honey’s antibacterial and antiviral properties became renewed as treatment-resistant strains of bacteria and viruses became increasingly common, and the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) approved manuka honey for wound treatment in 2007.3

Burn wounds

A 2013 study in an Indian medical journal suggested that dressings treated with manuka honey may be particularly good for encouraging faster healing of wounds, such as those from severe burns.4 It is thought that the particularly high sugar content of the manuka honey acts to prevent the growth of microbes in the burn wounds.

Diabetic ulcers

A 2014 study examined the use of manuka honey on wound dressings for treating diabetic ulcers, in conjunction with conventional treatments.5 Diabetic ulcers are rather unique in that they often take longer than other types of wounds to heal and are more likely to be antibiotic resistant. The researchers in this study found that the manuka honey-treated dressings provided not only an antibiotic effect, but also served as an anti-inflammatory and an antioxidant, thereby speeding up the ulcer recovery time.5 Another study reached similar findings in terms of reduced healing times, when looking specifically at diabetic foot ulcers, which are among the most common types of ulcers for patients with diabetes.6

Incisions after surgery

A 2017 study looked at the effect of manuka honey on the healing of incisions following eyelid surgery.7 Fifty-five patients who had undergone eyelid surgery had petroleum jelly applied to both eyelids four times a day for six weeks, as well as manuka honey applied to one eyelid, twice daily.

One week following surgery, there was less distortion of the surrounding skin and the incision scar was less stiff. Furthermore, all patients subjectively reported better healing, with less pain, on the eyelid treated with manuka honey.7

While the benefits of manuka honey are quite clear, children under the age of 1, and anybody who is allergic to any type of honey, pollen, other bee products or bee stings, should not be treated with manuka honey. However, for those patients without such restrictions, manuka honey can be, quite literally, sweet on your patients who need fast, effective wound healing.

References

1.      Manuka honey. Wikipedia. Accessed 5/22/2018.

2.      Carter DA, Blair SE, Cokcetin NN, et al. (2016). Therapeutic manuka honey: No longer so alternative. Frontiers in Microbiology, 7, 569.

3.      Premarketing notification: Wound dressing with manuka honey. US Food & Drug Administration. Accessed 5/22/2018.

4.      Yaghoobi R, Kazerouni A, Kazerouni O. (2013). Evidence for clinical use of honey in wound healing as an anti-bacterial, anti-inflammatory anti-oxidant and anti-viral agent: A review. Jundishapur Journal of Natural Pharmaceutical Products, 8(3), 100-104.

5.      Alam F, Islam MA, Gan SH, Khalil MI. (2014). Honey: A potential therapeutic agent for managing diabetic wounds. Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine : eCAM, 2014, 169130.

6.      Kamaratos AV, Tzirogiannis KN, Iraklianou SA, et al. (2014). Manuka honey-impregnated dressings in the treatment of neuropathic diabetic foot ulcers. International Wound Journal, 11(3):259-263.

7.      Malhotra R, Ziahosseini K, Poitelea C, et al. (2017). Effect of manuka honey on eyelid wound healing: A randomized controlled trial. Ophthalmic Plastic Reconstructive Surgery, 33(4):268-272.

Related Posts

  • Senate OK's healthcare billSenate OK's healthcare bill
  • The benefits of camphor for pain reliefThe benefits of camphor for pain relief
  • Modern marketing and communications, the future of promotionsModern marketing and communications, the future of promotions
  • ICA to host 17th annual natural fitness symposiumICA to host 17th annual natural fitness symposium
  • Cleveland University-Kansas City announces new vice president of academic affairsCleveland University-Kansas City announces new vice president of academic affairs
  • Market research firm: Relaxing meaningful use standards a postitive for EHRsMarket research firm: Relaxing meaningful use standards a postitive for EHRs

Filed Under: Nutritional Supplements, Resource Center

Current Issue

CE issue 1 cover

Follow Us

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • YouTube logoYouTube logoYouTube

Compare Subscriptions

Dynamic Chiropractic

The American Chiropractor

3948 3rd Street South #279,

Jacksonville Beach, FL 32250

Phone 904.285.6020

CONTACT US »

Privacy Policy & Terms of Service

Copyright © 2021, All Rights Reserved

SUBSCRIBE TO THE MAGAZINE

Get Chiropractic Economics magazine
delivered to your home or office. Just
fill out our form to request your FREE
subscription for 20 issues a year,
including two annual Buyers Guides.

SUBSCRIBE NOW »

Latest Chiropractic News

  • The Joint Chiropractic Earns Major Accolades for Franchising Excellence
  • Northeast College Opens Digital Anatomy Lab, Announces Even More Educational Technology, Community-inspired Name
  • 2023 American Chiropractic Association (ACA) Rehab Symposium in March in Las Vegas