Therapeutic honey has been used for centuries as a healing agent, its use is reported in Ancient Greece, and the army doctors of Saladin used it during the crusades. Therapeutic honey is a very good antibacterial agent. The high sugar content of honey kills bacteria, and prevents infection in wounds. This property is why jam is used to preserve fruit; the high sugar content prevents bacterial growth.
Honey makes the perfect wound dressing because as well as preventing infection it also treats infection and honey and sugar paste dressings are now commonly used to treat leg ulcers and other wounds that have been traditionally difficult to treat in modern medicine. An added benefit of honey is that it does not cause dressings to stick to the wound so attending to a wound does not cause further damage.
Any honey is can be an effective antibacterial wound dressing, but the best therapeutic honey is Manuka honey, which is sourced in New Zealand. The bees make the honey from the Manuka bush. Manuka honey tastes slightly medicinal, reflecting its higher antibacterial properties. The Manuka therapeutic honey is given a unique Manuka factor score that reflects its antibacterial activity. This ranges from five to twenty and equates to its activity as compared to a standard antiseptic solution. For example a score of five means that it has the same antibacterial properties as a five per cent antiseptic solution.
Manuka honey can be bought in most pharmacies and is a valuable addition to any first aid box. Any minor scrape or cut can be treated with washing and then a dab of the therapeutic honey before being covered with a dressing. The progress of healing is checked easily by removing the dressing and rinsing with clean water. Redressing the wound with minimal trauma or pain is then possible. Larger wounds still need medical attention in case stitches are required, or foreign bodies are present. Wounds treated with honey are less likely to become infected, heal faster and leave less visible scarring.
The best-known use of therapeutic honey is wound healing but trials have shown that Manuka honey has added properties. It can be used to sooth eczema and psoriasis, and is a good antiinflammatory agent.
The benefits of Manuka therapeutic honey can also be felt internally. The healing properties extend to the intestinal system. Trails have been carried out for gastric ulcers. Patients were asked to eat a slice of bread that had been spread with the therapeutic honey before meals and at bedtime. The bread ensures that the honey stays in the stomach for longer. Patients reported an improvement in their symptoms. These healing properties extended further into the bowel, improving symptoms of gastroenteritis and diarrhoea.
Manuka honey has been tested in the laboratory against golden staph and found to be more effective than antibacterial creams. It has an additional advantage in that resistance does not seem to be developing as it is with many antibiotics. So effective is Manuka honey at treating wounds that dressings are now being manufactured and used in hospitals that contain the therapeutic honey impregnated into them. Large wounds that need long healing times can be treated with seaweed dressings impregnated with therapeutic honey. These dressings only need changing once or twice a week.