Hi, I understand the 'property' of Manuka honey that fights bacteria, is hydrogen peroxide. I'd be glad to hear if this not correct.
Jean They seem to be saying all honeys produce Hydrogen peroxide, and that Manuka honey has some extra qualities also exhibited by some other honeys. Some quotes: The potency of honey's healing properties depends on the type of flowers from which the bees gather their nectar. Honey from New Zealand's native Manuka tree, which the indigenous Maori people used as a medicinal plant is receiving worldwide attention for wound treatment. Manuka honey contains a special, non peroxide antibacterial component not found in other honey, trademarked as Unique Manuka Factor (UMF), which is the standard description of its anti-bacterial activity. To determine UMF strength, honey is exposed to cultured bacteria. The amount of honey needed to stop bacterial growth is measured and compared to the bacteria retarding effect of a phenol and water solution. The amount of phenols in this comparison water determines the UMF of the honey being tested. Ordinary Manuka has a UMF of approximately 4-5. UMF 10+ is honey whose antibacterial action is equivalent to at least a 10% phenol solution. Its antibacterial activity is over double the strength of standard antiseptic (4% carbolic acid). UMF 18+ has the strongest antibacterial activity yet is still safe to consume. The advantage of the UMF is that it does not need to be diluted to be effective unlike honey's hydrogen peroxide producing enzyme. Since the UMF Is not broken down by body tissue enzymes, like the hydrogen peroxide producing enzyme, manuka provides stronger antibacterial action on a wound than other honey. The UMF penetrates skin tissues easily, reaching deep seated bacterial infections which the hydrogen peroxide fails to do. The higher the antibacterial potency of the honey, as denoted by its UMF rating, the deeper the antibacterial activity will reach to clear infection. Applied topically, Manuka honey effectiveness has been shown in management of varicose ulcers, minor burns, cuts and wounds, overcoming the seven most common germs associated with wounds. It provides a moist, sterile environment for skin regeneration and contains antioxidant activity which decreases amounts of destructive free radicals and prevents fibrotic scarring. The anti-inflammatory agents it contains reduce swelling and contribute to pain relief. It increases blood circulation to the area and its osmotic effect draws exudate from the wound. Manuka honey also provides nutrients and oxygen, stimulating tissue regrowth. Its debriding action allows easy detachment of dead tissue and reduces wound odour by preventing ammonia production. By creating a barrier between the wound and dressing, it makes dressing removal easier, preventing damage to regenerating tissue. Unlike pharmaceutical antibacterial agents, Manuka honey does not damage emerging healthy skin. It is filtered to remove fine organic substances that may cause allergic reactions in the wound. http://www.littletree.com.au/manuka.htm Active manuka honey contains an additional component found only in honey produced from Leptospermum plants: unique manuka factor (UMF). Honey with UMF is more effective than that with hydrogen peroxide against some types of bacteria. Medical professionals in New Zealand use active mauka honey with a rating of 10 UMF or higher. Chemical Composition More than 180 compounds have been identified in propolis, and many are biologically active. Flavonoids are abundant, including apigenin, galangin, kaempferol, luteolin, pinocembrin, pinostrobin and quercitin. http://www.lifetimehealth.com/en/page.asp?E_Page=209561&product=225400 When most honeys are diluted they release hydrogen peroxide (the same chemical that is in household bleach) which kills bugs. Manuka honey has a different action. It produces some natural chemicals that kill bacteria. http://www.burkesbackyard.com.au/2000/archives/2000?p=1725 Much research effort has centred on establishing the properties of honey to which its antibacterial activity may be attributed. Such factors as osmolarity, acidity, hydrogen peroxide content and chemical components of honey have all been considered to contribute to the inhibition of bacterial growth. Honey is a highly saturated sugar solution which could suggest that this characteristic of honey would convey an antimicrobial effect. The high concentration of sugars leaves very little available water for the growth of microorganisms. However, the osmolarity of honey does not appear to be a major factor. The acidity of honey has also been suggested to explain the antibacterial activity of honey. Honey contains many organic acids, predominantly gluconic acid produced from glucose by glucose oxidase, and is characteristically acidic with pH 3.2 to 4.5. Although such an acidity level would be inhibitory to the growth of most bacterial species, there appears to be no correlation between antibacterial activity and the acidity of the honey. There is much evidence to suggest that the antibacterial activity of honey is due to more than the sugars present therein. Two major sources have been shown to be responsible for the anti-microbial activity - hydrogen peroxide (from the bee) and uncharacterised chemical substances (from the floral source). Hydrogen peroxide is known to have antimicrobial properties and can be removed efficiently by the addition of catalase to the honey prior to testing for antibacterial activity. This project has investigated the correlation between antimicrobial activity and the non-peroxide activity of particular Leptospermum-derived honeys. Initial investigations tested the efficacy of these honeys against one particular bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus), while later studies assessed the effect of this honey on a range of food pathogens, animal pathogens (e.g. in mastitis) and human pathogens (e.g. golden Staph). Using honeys sourced from around Australia and screened against several reference microorganisms, the anti-microbial potency of one particular Australian honey (from Leptospermum polygalifolium) was shown to be comparable to NZ Manuka honey (from L.scoparium). The results of this screening of active honeys against pathogenic bacteria has supported the registration of honey by Capilano Honey Limited as a "Drug" with the Therapeutic Good Administration based on its antimicrobial activity. This project was undertaken to add value to the existing honey resource by developing products with therapeutic benefit (i.e. for the treatment and management of moist wounds such as leg ulcers). Specific geographic region(s) in Australia which produce "active" honey have been identified, the potency of the Leptospermum-derived honeys against a range of bacteria has been defined, the particular chemical characteristics of these honeys have been examined, and the honey has been registered as a "Drug" with the Therapeutic Good Administration. Work is continuing to better define the specific agents responsible for the antimicrobial activity (which have been elusive to date) and to evaluate the opportunity for therapeutic benefit from honey beyond its antimicrobial activity (i.e. its direct wound healing benefit). http://www.rirdc.gov.au/reports/HBE/05-159sum.html In contrast to TTO, honey has a much longer recorded history of medicinal use. Scattered reports in the medical literature describe the antibacterial properties of honey and honey products, and their potential as antimicrobial agents, particularly in wound care.20 More recently, in vitro antibacterial activity has been described and a wide range of organisms is inhibited by honey including E. coli, Proteus mirabilis, Ps. aeruginosa, Enterococcus faecalis21 and Helicobacter pylori.22 The activity of honey has been attributed to the high osmolarity, the low pH and the presence of hydrogen peroxide. However, these factors alone or in combination do not account for all of the antibacterial activity and the identity of the main antimicrobial component of some honeys and its mechanism of action remains unclear. http://www.health.gov.au/internet/wcms/Publishing.nsf/Content//cda-pubs-cdi-2003-cdi27suppl-htm-cdi27supab.htm Research at Waikato University, in Hamilton New Zealand by Dr Peter Molan and others has shown that whilst all honey has healing properties, a special form derived from the New Zealand Manuka bush, (Leptpospermum scoparium) contains special ingredients not present in honeys derived from other floral sources. This has led to the use of the mark UMF® (Unique Manuka Factor) on some specially tested Manuka honeys indicating they contain these compounds. While all honeys contain the hydrogen peroxide that gives them a mild antibacterial action, UMF® honeys have much higher antibacterial effects not related to hydrogen peroxide, but due to the Unique Manuka Factor. http://www.thexton.com.au/product/Manuka__Honey__UMF__5%2B__500g I don't know how the New Zealanders pronounce Manuka. There is a suburb in Canberra, ACT, called Manuka. I called it Manooka, of course. I had no idea where people lived if they said they lived in Marnaka, until I found out that's how they were pronouncing Manuka. (Kind of "Maah - nuh - kuh). Rowena -- The Silver List is a moderated forum for discussing Colloidal Silver. Instructions for unsubscribing are posted at: http://silverlist.org To post, address your message to: silver-list@eskimo.com Address Off-Topic messages to: silver-off-topic-l...@eskimo.com The Silver List and Off Topic List archives are currently down... List maintainer: Mike Devour <mdev...@eskimo.com>
