Active Organic Manuka Honey has Healing Benefits

A rare product know as 'Raw Organic Manuka Honey' or just 'manuka honey' has started gaining interest from the medical community. Produced by only a handful of registered apiaries in New Zealand, manuka honey-which is produced from the blossoms of the manuka or jelly bush, appears to have antibacterial properties over and above those of other honeys.

Identified by Prof. Peter Molan of the University of Waikato, the ellusive factor has been named the 'UMF' or "Unique Manuka Factor". The UMF is determined by comparing the effects of the manuka honey against a standard antiseptic.

"In all honeys, there is-to different levels-hydrogen peroxide produced from an enzyme that bees add to the nectar. In manuka honey, and it's close relative which grows in Australia called jellybush, there's something else besides the hydrogen peroxide. And there's nothing like that ever been found anywhere else in the world."

"We know that it has a very broad spectrum of action. It works on bacteria, fungi, protozoa. We haven't found anything it doesn't work on among infectious organisms."

As has been mentioned elsewhere in this lens, Manuka Honey has been known for its' medicinal purposes. Recently however, further confirmation has bee discovered through medical research showing that there are more benefits from a health standpoint that have been discovered. Based on findings by New Zealand research scientists, it appears as it may be a cure for or at a minimum a treatment for various health issues. Some of these issues include athlete's foot, dental health, eye infections, diabetic wound, arthritic inflammation, insect bites and stings, sore throats, relief for allergies, acid reflux disease, ring worm, rashes, chronic wounds, pressure sores, surgical wounds, psoriasis, cold sores, candida albicans, nail fungus, duodenal ulcer, esophagus ulcer, chemical burn, decubitus ulcer, scars and ear infections. Doctors have also found it to be beneficial for cancer patients and helps in tissue healing.

Recent studies and clinical trials have indicated that Organic Manuka Honey may well prove to be more effective than antibiotics in treating some ailments and wounds that have failed to respond to regular treatment.

The honey's antibacterial properties and anti-inflamatory effects against infection are drawing the attention of medical professionals. In addition to promising results against so-called 'Superbugs', the manuka honey apparently forms a protective barrier that aids tissue healing and thus reduces scarring and deformity.

Added benefits of this unique honey are it's reduction of the need for skin grafting on larger, more troublesome wounds and it's unique ability to reduce waste products of the healing process that produce odors. This allows dressing and bandages to be left in place safely for longer periods.

A study from the European Journal of Medical Research in 2003 indicated that manuka honey demonstrated an 85% success rate in the treatment of infected postoperative Caesarean sections and hysterectomy wounds, versus a 50% rate with routine treatments.

Dr. Glenys Round, a cancer specialist has found manuka honey to be effective.

"We've been using honey to treat fungating wounds, where the cancer has broken through the skin. The results in that situation have been excellent."

She has also had success in using honey dressings for wounds or ulcers resulting from radiation therapy.

Julie Betts, a nurse practitioner, has used honey to treat leg ulcers and pressure sores as an aid to healing diabetic patients after surgery.

"It has an anti-inflammatory effect as well, so if I want to do several things apart from actually controlling the bacteria in the wound, then that's when I'll use honey."

Staph Infections (staphylococcus aureus), methicillin resistant staph (MRSA), and E. coli (eschericihia coli) are possibly some of the most promising uses of manuka honey. These so-called 'SuperBugs' prove very resistant to conventional antibiotic treatment.

Dr. Rose Cooper at the University of Wales says:

" When I embarked on this work eight years ago, it was dismissed as an ancient remedy and an alternate therapy. But then there have been cases where MRSA has been eradicated from patients' wounds which have been treated with the honey."

Prof. Molan adds, "Staphylococcus aureas is the most common wound-infecting species of bacteria, and that's the most sensitive to honey that we've found. And that includes the antibiotic resistant strains-the MRSA-which is just as sensitive to honey as any other..."

Derma Sciences Inc. has recieved approval from the FDA to market a honey-based dressing called Medihoney that is being sold to doctors and hospitals for these very applications.

Besides the uses outlined above a number of manuka products are becoming available for home use. Creams and ointments for use in treating rashes, cold sores, eczema, dermatitis, and many other skin problems as well as burns, blisters, cuts and abrasions are becoming available.

In addition to these products, the honey is also useful when taken internally for such problems as sore throat, colds, acid reflux, heartburn, and other digestive problems.