Scientific evidence for honey-based cures

[The Riviera Kid]

Does anyone know of any scientific research (rather than just anecdotal evidence) that confirms or debunks honey as a cure for common ills?

In particular I am interested in if there is any evidence at all for the old honey and cider vinegar cures. There are lots of cyber pages out there but it's hard to sort the science from the hearsay...

So far the only honey-based cure that seems to have any basis in fact is it's antibiotic properties when applied to wounds.

 

[Finman]

.
If yor daughter or son is sick, would you heal them with that or do you think that is better to go to doctor.....

Honey is 80% sugar, 17% water, some minerals (ash component) and nothing more.

Honey has tens different backteria and yeasts. Keep wound clean and close the wound as soon as possible.

.

 

[The Riviera Kid]

No, no-one is sick Finman.

I have been asked to write an article for a local magazine about the medicinal value of honey and it's proving hard to find real facts!!

 

[Finman]

.
My boy is 34 y old surgeon. I have asked from him the same question because many beekeepers think that honey cure wounds and even hospital backteria . My boy said that they do not use honey in their job.

I have read about some honey based stuff, but it is not normal honey. it is puried etc.

 

[REDWOOD]

Finman did not mention the fact that honey has pollen that is a part of plants which are wild flowers and herbs that have been used to cure illnesses for hundreds of years, there are lots of cures from these plants still used today with great affect and probably thousands lost in time

 

[The Riviera Kid]

It sounds like my article is going to be more about myths than cures!!

I found an interesting article on the chemistry of honey as an antibiotic and that's still the only medicinal aspect of it that seems to be based on fact.

It's just for a local mag and I don't think that they want anything too deep.

 

[The Cumbrian]

As a starting point I found an article by Dr. L B Grotte M.D. I was more than a little doubtful due to the name but he quotes an article by P. C. Molan B.Sc. Ph.D., Honey Research Unit, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand entitled

Honey as a Dressing for Wounds, Burns, and Ulcers:
A Brief Review of Clinical Reports and Experimental Studies

Due to the forum dislike of links google for a domain of drgrotte and honey-medicine.

I can't comment on the quality of the science but it is a starting point.

EDIT: I have just done a search using the Google scholarly articles (Google> More> Even More) and the search term Medical use of honey and there appears to be a number of interesting articles.

 

[REDWOOD]

I did see somewhere honey plasters

 

[enrico]

posted this the other day. They may be able to help you if you contact them....
Researchers are looking for more honey from mid Wales
Bee keepers in mid and north Wales are being urged to help with research into the healing properties of honey as scientists look to counter MRSA.
Cardiff University and the National Botanic Garden of Wales launched the hunt last summer for honeys which can counteract bacteria.
They have created a honey map of Wales, pinpointing where the jars are coming from but they want to fill the gaps.
Bee keepers in south Wales and other parts of the UK are taking part.
Honey's anti-bacterial properties have been known since ancient times and it is believed it was used by both the ancient Greeks and Egyptians.
Since last summer's appeal, scientists at Cardiff University's school of pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences have been analysing honey sent in from across the UK.
They are checking for honey with the potential to counter hospital acquired infections MRSA and Clostridium Difficile.
Then the National Botanic Garden in Llanarthne, Carmarthenshire, profiles the DNA of the most powerful honeys, checking for the plants which contributed.
This could allow scientists to create new treatments.
Prof Les Baillie of Cardiff University said: "We have had a very enthusiastic response to our honey appeal, with jars coming in from as far afield as the Isle of Wight.
"We've had some 200 samples sent in, 60 of them from Wales, and we have some very promising candidates for further research.
E

 

[Silly Bee]

I have a friend in Canada who is a pallative nurse, he uses honey as medication. Try Canadian health service.

 

[peteinwilts]

there is a lot of anactdotal evidence and reports of hospitals that use honey, particularly manuka honey, and even though its taste is not that great, it is meant to contain additional antibacterial properties which suggests there is a little more to it than water and sugar.

I am 60%(ish) water, 20% carbon, 10% hydrogen and trace elements but does not mean I cannot think or run around.

I keep marines and to keep corals with less than 300ppm of calcium over an extended time will mean a slow death for many of them.

Trace elements matter!

I personally am more interested in unhealthy honey. If bees collect honey from significant sources of plants with poisonous nectar\pollen, can the honey actually make you ill.
For example, there are a lot of Rhododrendons in Cornwall, and if there were hives near a Rhododrendon garden, could the honey make you ill?

 

[Beeforest]

What about the stings? Even less is known about bee venom has an aid to osteoarthritis.
When I've posted more than 10 replies I'll send a link.
EDIT 10 posts now.
http://danieljmarsh.wordpress.com/

 

[Finman]

t

I am 60%(ish) water, 20% carbon, 10% hydrogen and trace elements but does not mean I cannot think or run around.

men have 70% water and women 60%. And sugar on bottom: As long as you fart you are alive!

It is said that honey has peroxide like properties.
Why don't you use then pure peroxide?

 

[Poly Hive]

The Australians have licensed a honey bandage I read for medical usage.

Anecdotally I heard that at least one notable plastic surgeon "when all else failed" used honey.

http://www.naturalnews.com/022872.html FDA giving honey the nod...

http://www.wounds-uk.com/pdf/content_9856.pdf pediatric wound treatment trial..


Google search string... "Approved honey treatment"



PH

 

[tonybloke]

the OH's Mum ( who is in her 70's) had honey impregnated dressings applied by the local nurse onto her leg ulcer, these helped it heal better than any other medications.
the dressings are NHS approved.

 

[Ruary]

Go to www.ibra.org.uk and click on the 'journal of api-products and apimedical science icon at the bottom right of the home page.

There you will get copies of papers of interest to you.

Ruary

 

[Luminos]

My farrier used thyme honey on my horses' hooves when another farrier had burned the hooves too far back when fitting new shoes.
He was very specific about it being thyme honey.

It worked, but whether it was any better/quicker than a medication I don't know.

 

[Swarm]

posted this the other day. They may be able to help you if you contact them....
Researchers are looking for more honey from mid Wales
Bee keepers in mid and north Wales are being urged to help with research into the healing properties of honey as scientists look to counter MRSA.
Cardiff University and the National Botanic Garden of Wales launched the hunt last summer for honeys which can counteract bacteria.
They have created a honey map of Wales, pinpointing where the jars are coming from but they want to fill the gaps.
Bee keepers in south Wales and other parts of the UK are taking part.
Honey's anti-bacterial properties have been known since ancient times and it is believed it was used by both the ancient Greeks and Egyptians.
Since last summer's appeal, scientists at Cardiff University's school of pharmacy and pharmaceutical sciences have been analysing honey sent in from across the UK.
They are checking for honey with the potential to counter hospital acquired infections MRSA and Clostridium Difficile.
Then the National Botanic Garden in Llanarthne, Carmarthenshire, profiles the DNA of the most powerful honeys, checking for the plants which contributed.
This could allow scientists to create new treatments.
Prof Les Baillie of Cardiff University said: "We have had a very enthusiastic response to our honey appeal, with jars coming in from as far afield as the Isle of Wight.
"We've had some 200 samples sent in, 60 of them from Wales, and we have some very promising candidates for further research.
E

Following up from the samples our society donated last October, we have been informed that nearly all showed a positive reaction when tested against MRSA.

 

[Brosville]

Extend it a little to include propolis and there's a wealth of effects - this guy is putting a lot of research into it
[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0PVADsG8og"]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0PVADsG8og[/ame]

 

[Silly Bee]

Read recently, that when you scrape propolis off the frames, you shouldn't throw it away, if you don't want it yourself, leave it for the ladies to re-use.