Manuka honey and cystic fibrosis, the natural antibiotic kills drug-resistant bacteria

Scientists have tested the antibiotic effects of Manuka honey against drug-resistant bacteria and the bacteria responsible for infections affecting people with cystic fibrosis. The results obtained are surprising and give new hopes to the suffering patients. Let’s see all we need to know.

Manuka honey is effective against drug-resistant bacteria that are responsible for potentially related infections that affect cystic fibrosis sufferers. This is the conclusion reached by the scientists who explain to us how this Manuka honey is a natural antibiotic that offers great hopes for the future.

Manuka honey, what it is

Manuka honey is a honey that originates in Australia and New Zealand and that has healing properties, it is in fact considered a natural antibiotic.

Infections, drug-resistant bacteria and cystic fibrosis

Scientists explain to us that patients suffering from cystic fibrosis, a recessive autonomic genetic disease characterized by excessive production of thick mucus, often undergo acute respiratory infections which can also be fatal due to the responsible bacteria that are drugs-resistant, in fact they manage to counteract the effect of antibiotics. In some cases, the bacteria are so resistant that the last resort for the patients is lung transplantation.

Manuka honey and infections

To demonstrate the antibiotic effects of Manuka honey, the scientists tested it on samples of pig lung tissue modified to mimic those of people with cystic fibrosis. The data collected showed that Manuka honey is able to kill 39% of resistant bacteria, while antibiotics stop at 29%. And there is more. The combination of Manuka honey and antibiotics has led to the killing of 90% of bacteria.

Conclusions

The preliminary results of this test are very promising and the scientists are ready to continue with their research on human beings to understand if this Manuka honey can be really integrated with the treatments currently used to counteract infections typical of cystic fibrosis.

The research, titled "Anti-pseudomonad Activity of Manuka Honey and Antibiotics in a Specialized ex vivo Model Simulating Cystic Fibrosis Lung Infection", was published on Frontiers in Microbiology magazine.