Medical-grade manuka honey, also known as Medihoney, can improve the effectiveness of antibiotics and prevent resistance.
Research has shown that Medihoney, used in combination with the antibiotic rifampicin in the treatment of skin and chronic wound infections, is more effective at killing the MRSA bacteria than either antibiotics or Medihoney alone.
The results indicate that treatment of infected chronic wounds with rifampicin and Medihoney results in more effective eradication of the infection, a lower effective dose of rifampicin, and a reduced risk of both short-term and long-term antibiotic resistance.
The research has implications for future use of manuka honey in medical practice, with researchers saying the results provide solid scientific evidence for the use of honey as a first choice option in chronic wound treatment.
Read more at University of Technology Sydney