Why 'super honey' is the bees knees for wounds and infections
The Guardian, 1/1/2014
Surgihoney is cost-effective and speeds healing of hard-to-treat injuries. Can it become the ultimate wound-care product?
The healing powers of honey have been known about for thousands of years. But Surgihoney, whose natural antibacterial properties have been boosted, is proving highly effective at treating infected wounds and superbugs.
The honey is believed to work by killing the bugs, removing dead tissue and pus, and then providing a moisture barrier as well as local nutrition.
Honey contains vitamins, minerals, enzymes and sugars – all of which help in the healing of wounds. Manuka is generally regarded as the most potent honey, but it relies upon nectar from a particular tree in New Zealand, limiting its supply.
That's precisely the problem which has been solved by the developers of Surgihoney. They have created a product that can be made from organic honey from any floral source. They hope it will ultimately become a global wound-care product that will improve lives in poorer countries.
Lead researcher Dr Matthew Dryden, an NHS consultant microbiologist, is optimistic that the sterile, medical honey can revolutionise wound care around the world, reduce the use of antibiotics and provide an alternative to harsh chemical antiseptics.
Surgihoney speeds the healing of hard-to-treat leg and foot ulcers, pressure sores, trauma injuries and infected surgical wounds, according to the research. Potential benefits include less pain and fewer amputations.
Dryden says: "Surgihoney is active against all the bacteria we find in soft tissue wounds. The important extra is that it kills the bugs but doesn't damage the tissue. Honey is a fantastic natural medicine."
Surgihoney can even tackle wounds infected with strains of bacteria resistant to antibiotics, he says, including MRSA, E coli and pseudomonas. He describes honey as "turbo-boosted"…