Molan P, Rhodes T, et al.
Wounds : a compendium of clinical research and practice. Date of publication 2015 Jun 1;volume 27(6):141-51.
1. Wounds. 2015 Jun;27(6):141-51.
Honey: A Biologic Wound Dressing.
Molan P(1), Rhodes T(2).
Author information:
(1)University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand.
(2)Rhodes & Associates, Largo, FL; email:trhodes6@tampabay.rr.com.
Honey has been used as a wound dressing for thousands of years, but only in more
recent times has a scientific explanation become available for its effectiveness.
It is now realized that honey is a biologic wound dressing with multiple
bioactivities that work in concert to expedite the healing process. The physical
properties of honey also expedite the healing process: its acidity increases the
release of oxygen from hemoglobin thereby making the wound environment less
favorable for the activity of destructive proteases, and the high osmolarity of
honey draws fluid out of the wound bed to create an outflow of lymph as occurs
with negative pressure wound therapy. Honey has a broad-spectrum antibacterial
activity, but there is much variation in potency between different honeys. There
are 2 types of antibacterial activity. In most honeys the activity is due to
hydrogen peroxide, but much of this is inactivated by the enzyme catalase that is
present in blood, serum, and wound tissues. In manuka honey, the activity is due
to methylglyoxal which is not inactivated. The manuka honey used in wound-care
products can withstand dilution with substantial amounts of wound exudate and
still maintain enough activity to inhibit the growth of bacteria. There is good
evidence for honey also having bioactivities that stimulate the immune response
(thus promoting the growth of tissues for wound repair), suppress inflammation,
and bring about rapid autolytic debridement. There is clinical evidence for these
actions, and research is providing scientific explanations for them.
PMID: 26061489 [Indexed for MEDLINE]
