Aim To determine antimicrobial activity of honey against clinical bacterial strains and their respective reference strains. Methods Twelve samples of Croatian honey from various botanical origin were evaluated for their antimicrobial activity against four clinical antibiotic resistant pathogens and their respective reference strains: Staphylococcus aureus, Acinetobacter baumannii, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli. Antibacterial susceptibility was checked out by using broth microdilution method and interpreted according to the European Committee for Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing (EUCAST) recommendations. Results Significant differences in the antibacterial activity of tested honey samples were noticed. Fir honeydew honey and Mint honey showed the best antibacterial potential, while the Locust tree honey, Rapeseed honey and Spring pasture honey expressed the weakest antimicrobial activity. Conclusion Croatian honey, prominently honeydew honey, has the potential to become an important additive to therapeutic techniques available to a medical practitioner against resistant pathogens, but the exact mechanisms of its activity should be investigated further.
Levy S, Marshall B. Antibacterial resistance worldwide: causes, challenges and responses. Nat Med. 2004;122–9.
2.
WHO’s first global report on antibiotic resistance reveals serious. 29AD;
3.
Spellberg B, Guidos R, Gilbert D, Bradley J, Boucher H, Scheld W, et al. Infectious Diseases Society of America. The epidemic of antibiotic-resistant infections: a call to action for the medical community from the Infectious Diseases Society of America. Clin Infect Dis. 2008;155–64.
4.
Bansal V, Medhi B, Honey P. A remedy rediscovered and its therapeutic utility. Kathmandu Univ Med J (KUMJ). 2005;305–9.
5.
Bonn D. Sweet solution to superbug infections? Lancet Infect Dis. 2003;608.
6.
Kwakman P, Van Den Akker J, Aslami G, Binnekade H, De Boer J, Boszhard L, et al. Medical-grade honey kills antibiotic-resistant bacteria in vitro and eradicates skin colonization. Clin Infect Dis. 2008;1677–82.
7.
Mandal M, Honey M. its medicinal property and antibacterial activity. Asian Pac J Trop Biomed. 2011;154–60.
8.
Molan P. The antibacterial activity of honey. 1. The nature of the antibacterial activity. Bee World. 1992;5–28.
9.
Bogdanov S. Nature and origin of the antibacterial substances in honey. Lebensm Wiss Technol. 1997;748–53.
10.
Molan P. The antibacterial activity of honey. 2. Variation in the potency of the antibacterial activity. Bee World. 1992;59–76.
11.
Ns AW. Investigating the antimicrobial activity of natural honey and its effects on the pathogenic bacterial infections of surgical wounds and conjunctiva. J Med Food. 2004;210–22.
12.
Louveaux J, Maurizio A, Vorwohl G. Methods of melissopalynology. Bee World. 1978;139–57.
13.
The European Committee on Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing. 12AD;
14.
Majtan J, Majtanova L, Bohova J, Majtan V. Honeydew honey as a potent antibacterial agent in eradication of multi-drug resistant Stenotrophomonas maltophilia isolates from cancer patients. Phytother Res. 2011;584–7.
15.
Horniackova M, Bucekova M, Valachova I, Majtan J. Effect of gamma radiation on the antibacterial and antibiofilm activity of honeydew honey. Eur Food Res Technol. 2017;81–8.
16.
Perez F, Hujer A, Hujer K, Decker B, Rather P, Bonomo R. Global challenge of multidrug -resistant Acinetobacter baumannii. Antimicrob Agents Chemother. 2007;3471–84.
17.
Almasaudi S, Al-Nahari A, El-Ghany A, Barbour E, E, Muhayawi A, et al. Antimicrobial effect of different types of honey on Staphylococcus aureus. Saudi J Biol Sci. 2017;1255–61.
18.
Al-Waili N, Al-Ghamdi A, Ansari M, Al-Attal Y, Salom K. Synergistic effects of honey and propolis toward drug multi-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Candida albicans isolates in single and polymicrobial cultures. Int J Med Sci. 2012;793–800.
19.
Vallianou N, Gounari P, Skourtis A, Panagos J. Kazazis C. Honey and its anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial and anti-oxidant properties. General Med. 2014;132–7.
20.
Maddocks S, Jenkins R, Rowlands R, Purdy K, Cooper R. Manuka honey inhibits adhesion and invasion of medically important wound bacteria in vitro. Future Microbiol. 2013;1523–36.
21.
Patel A, Chauhan B. Antimicrobial effect of honey on MRSA isolated from pus samples. Int J Drug Res Tech. 2016;58–63.
22.
Nagi A, Amghalia E, Shamsudin M, Abdullah R, Mohammed R, Sekawi Z. Antibacterial activity of honey against methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Res J Biol Sci. 2009;943–7.
23.
Molan P, Rhodes T. Honey: A Biologic Wound Dressing. Wounds. 2015;141–51.
24.
Lu J, Carter D, Turnbull L, Rosendale D, Hedderley D, Stephens J, et al. The effect of New Zealand kanuka, manuka and clover honeys on bacterial growth dynamics and cellular morphology varies according to the species. PLoS One. 2013;55898.
25.
Anthimidou E, Mossialos D. Antibacterial activity of Greek and Cypriot honeys against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in comparison to manuka honey. J Med Food. 2013;42–7.
The statements, opinions and data contained in the journal are solely those of the individual authors and contributors and not of the publisher and the editor(s). We stay neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
,
