Known to be a sweet and viscous product produced by bees, honey is more than a pancake topping during breakfast. A new study found that a spoonful of this sweet substance can beat antibiotic-resistant infections.
Manuka Honey has a wide range of medical properties that have been known for a while. Its most recent benefit has been identified as a broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity.
The research found that a spoonful of manuka honey combined with a common antibiotic can successfully win against the threat of a potentially deadly lung infection.
Moreover, adding up honey to the equation can significantly lessen the side effects of taking the medication alone.
The scientists from the Aston University in Birmingham, in the United Kingdom, claim that they added manuka honey and the medicinal drug called amikacin using a nebulizing instrument to heal the deadly bacterial lung infection called Mycobacterium abscessus-a complication that infects patients with cases of cystic fibrosis (CF) or bronchiectasis.
The Sweeter Side of Honey
Manuka honey originated from the local bee in Australia and New Zealand that pollinate in the native Leptospermum scoparium bush known as the tea tree.
Cystic Fibrosis (CF) is a fatal lung disorder that damages the human respiratory and digestive system and is estimated to have 105,000 cases worldwide.
On the other hand, bronchiectasis is another respiratory complication, specifically in the lung airways, making it more difficult to clear mucus.
Since the Mycobacterium abscessus is in the same line of lung complications same as tuberculosis, that is deadly to patients with a pre-existing diagnosis.
The scientists from the Mycobacterial Research Group of Aston University's College of Health and Life Sciences explored how they can add the natural substance to the existing medication for severe lung infections.
Lesser Dosage Better Results
With the aid of a nebulizer- a medical device that emits a fine spray of liquid for patients with respiratory problems they can inhale-the researchers combined the manuka honey with a bit of amikacin to formulate a new treatment. The examination results showed the honey-based spray improved the bacterial clearance based on 16 samples of infected CF patients.
The doctor's usual prescription of varieties of antibiotics consists of more than 12 months of continuous antimicrobial chemotherapy.
Amikacin is usually prescribed in 16 micrograms per millimeter per tab. However, the scientists claim this will not ensure the treatment regimen will heal the infection, and the amikacin dosage can lead to adverse side effects for patients.
The newly developed treatment with manuka honey used two micrograms per milliliter, significantly removing the risks that patients will have side effects from amikacin.
Doctor Victoria Nolan, the lead author, and researcher, said in the university release that the treatment of Mycobacterium abscessus pulmonary infections could be challenging because of its drug-resistant properties, and the prescribed cocktails of antibiotics result in severe side effects.
She added that the potential treatment with the combined power of amikacin and manuka honey is a promising therapy for terrible respiratory infections, which is agreed by the senior lecturer of microbiology at Aston University, Doctor Jonathan Cox.
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