The Evidence for honey promoting wound healing What's Special about Active Manuka Honey? Selection of honey for use as a wound dressing Bibliography of medical usage of honey Honey as an Antimicrobial agent Publications from the Honey Research Unit The Potential for using honey to treat wounds infected with MRSA and VRE ( PDF File) Activity of honey against wound-infecting bacteria ( including "Superbugs") ( PDF File) Manuka honey as Medicine ( PDF File The evidence for honey promoting wound healing The program reported on the special antibacterial qualities of certain varieties of Active Manuka Honey. It reported on the use of a special wound dressing preparation under development by Dr Peter Molan of the University of Waikato in New Zealand. The programme concentrated on the new dressing, although the UMF-rated honey has been applied to ordinary dressings for many years, providing a successful treatment to long standing sufferers of chronic open wounds. Click here to visit the feature at the Tomorrow's World website. BBC's Tomorrow's World Screened on BBC1 May 9, 2001 BBC Watchdog Healthcheck screened on 24 August 2000 The BBC's flagship health program reported on the evaluation of the curative properties of honey in five hospitals across the UK. It included a report on the work being carried out by Dr Rose Cooper at the Wound Healing research unit at the University of Wales College of Medicine. UMF rated Active Manuka Honey was found to kill the bacteria MRSA in tests carried out on an agar plate impregnated with a 3% concentration of Active Manuka Honey. Click here for full Article On 8 March 2000 CNN reported on the research being carried out by Dr Peter Molan on UMF rated Active Manuka Honey's use in treating persistent chronic leg wounds. It reports on the effectiveness at combatting wounds infected with the bacteria staphylococcus aureus, as well as the other non-bacterial qualities of the honey such as the promotion of new tissue growth. Click here for full Article CNN.com March 8, 2000 Australia's well known science program 'Beyond 2000' reported on the medicinal qualities of the Leptospermum group of plant species (of which the Manuka bush is a member). It reports that honey is used in mainstream wound therapy in India, Africa and the Middle East. Randomised trials demonstrate that honey is more effective in controlling infection in burn wounds than silver sulphadiazine, the antibacterial ointment most widely used in hospitals. Beyond 2000 16 August 2000 Other Research References: 1. Molan PC - A brief review of honey as a clinical dressing. Primary Intention 1998; 6(4); 148-58 2. Molan PC - The role of honey in the management of wounds. J Wound Care 1999; 8(8); 423-6 3. Molan PC - Why honey is effective as a medicine. 1. Its use in modern medicine. Bee World 1999; 80(2); 80-92 4. Willix DJ, Molan PC, Harfoot CJ - A comparison of the sensitivity of wound-infecting species of bacteria to the antibacterial activity of manuka honey and other honey. J Appl Bacteriol 1992; 73; 388-94 5. Cooper RA, Molan PC, Harding KG. - Antibacterial activity of honey against strains of Staphylococcus aureus from infected wounds. JR Soc Med 1999; 92; 283-5 6. Wood B, Rademaker M, Molan PC - Manuka honey, a low cost leg ulcer dressing. NZ Med J 1997; 110; 107 7. Molan PC, Allen KL - The effect of gamma-irradiation on the antibacterial activity of honey. J Pharm Pharmacol 1996; 48;1206-9 8. Susceptibility of Helicobacter Pylori to the antibacterial activity of Manuka Honey - A research paper published in the 'Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine'. Jan 1994, Vol 87 The information on this website is provided for imformational purposes only. It is not intended to be taken as medical advice. For any serious conditions a Doctor should be consulted.