Role of Honey in Wound Care
Authors from Spain and Portugal discuss how the honey can influence the healing and show promising results in in vitro and in vivo trials. This natural product has been used for wound healing since ancient times, mainly know for its antimicrobial activity. Further research also discovered anti-inflammatory, antioxidant properties, re-epithelialization and angiogenesis. But not every honey can help. There are special medical-grade honeys, that are sterilized by gamma irradiation to kill Clostridium spores. A Manuka honey is a unique type that shows the strongest antibacterial activity. The liquid state of honey might complicate its application, nonetheless it can be directly applied to the wound. There are also a few commercial preparations (gels, ointment, and dressings) that are approved by FDA. The development of novel applications promotes new research that proves the advantage of its unique natural product.