Healthy honey: Manuka honey found to fight growth of bacteria

Manuka honey could be used to stop bacterial growth on hospital medical equipment, a new study has found.

Researchers at the university of Southampton found that they could reduce the spread of potentially dangerous bacteria on surfaces by more than 75% if they applied various solutions of Manuka honey.

The potential medical application could be particularly beneficial for patients who use catheters; devices used to drain the bladder of urine. Catheters are particularly susceptible to infections and can cause urinary tract infections and others.

The scientists found that Manuka honey can reduce the growth and activity of biofilms; a thin layer of microbes which stick to surfaces. The honey reduces the adhesiveness of bacteria and prevents a biofilm from developing. If a biofilm has already developed the application of Manuka honey restricts further growth of bacteria.

The medical properties of honey have been noticed for years and it is often linked to its antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects.  As the study states however the validation of topical honey applications has not been robust.

Bashir Lwaleed, an associate professor from the University of Southampton said: This really opens a wide kind of useage for honey dilutions to be used as flushing agents for all of these medical devices that are inserted into the body. For example catheters, gastric tubes etc."

Manuka honey is produced in New Zealand and Australia from the nectar of manuka trees. Because of the rising price of Manuka honey, beekeepers in New Zealand have recently reported thefts of beehives.