Comparison of the Antimicrobial Activities of Four Honeys From Three Countries (New Zealand, Cuba, and Kenya)

Abstract

Skin and chronic wound infections are an increasing and urgent health problem worldwide. Their management is difficult and the development of antibiotic resistance by both planktonic and biofilm-associated bacteria necessitates the use of alternative treatments. The purpose of this study was to compare the antimicrobial activity of four honeys from different floral and geographical origins: Melipona beecheii honey (Cuba) and three Apis mellifera honeys [Manuka honey (New Zealand), A. mellifera honey (Cuba), and African honey (Kenya)]. The physicochemical parameters were within the ranges reported for these honeys and M. beecheii honey stood out due to its acidic character. An agar incorporation technique was used to determine the minimum active dilution of each honey against 52 clinical isolates (34 Gram-positive, 17 Gram-negative, and 1 Candida albicans). The antibiofilm activity of honeys was tested by assessing their ability to inhibit biofilm formation and to disrupt preformed biofilms. Overall, M. beecheii honey had the highest antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity, although a marked disruption in preformed biofilms was shared by all tested honeys. Structural changes induced by M. beecheii honey on Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa cells were observed by transmission electron microscopy suggesting that this honey has a potent antimicrobial action and may be an excellent candidate for the development of topical preparations for the treatment of infected wounds.

The antibacterial activities of honey

“…The results indicated that M . beecheii honey stood out because of its acidity and produced the best antimicrobial and antibiofilm activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa cells that was associated with induced structural changes observed by transmission electron microscopy, making it a possible candidate for wound infection treatment ( Morroni et al 2018 ).…”

Physical characteristics and antimicrobial properties of Apis mellifera, Frieseomelitta nigra and Melipona favosa bee honeys from apiaries in Trinidad and Tobago

“…For millennia, the medicinal properties of honey have been used by mankind. This popular bee product is versatile and is effective against microbes [1][2][3][4], reducing inflammation [5], combating cancer [6], hypertension [7], and liver disease [8], aids in wound healing [3,9] and provides cough relief [10]. An important therapeutic quality of honey is its antimicrobial activity [11][12][13][14].…”

A Actividad antimicrobiana de propóleos de abejas sin aguijón en combinación con ajo, Allium sativum (Amaryllidaceae)

“…ISSN Impreso: 0034-7744 ISSN electrónico: 2215-2075 se ha vuelto constante (Morroni et al, 2018). Estudios recientes han demostrado que los propóleos son una fuente de compuestos bioactivos con distintas actividades; antibacterial, fungistática, antiviral, antioxidante, antiinflamatoria, citotóxica y anticancerígena (Sartori et al, 2012, Popova, Chinou, Marekov, & Bankova, 2013, Choudhari, Haghniaz, Rajwade, & Paknikar, 2013, Inui et al, 2014, Nina et al, 2015.…”