Abstract
Wounds infected with methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
(MRSA) is getting more difficult and expensive to treat as drug resistance is widespread and the incidence of MRSA in the community increases [1]. Approval of medical grade Manuka and Medihoney impregnated dressings by European countries and Food and Drug administration of USA as therapeutic agents for the treatment of such infections [2] has led to the search for new honeys with high medicinal values which are locally produced and affordable. Therefore, this study had main aim to investigate the antibacterial activity of indigenous unifloral honeys (Black Seed, Beri and Shain honey) as well as Manuka honey (UMF-21). Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of honeys against twenty five clinical isolates of MRSA and three ATCC reference strains,
Staphylococcus aureus
(25923),
Escherichia coli
(25922),
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
(27853) were determined by an agar incorporation assay. Phenol 6% was used as positive control. All MRSA strains were susceptible to Manuka honey at 4–5% (v/v) dilution, whereas Black Seed, Beri and Shain honey inhibited these isolates at 5–6%, 6–7% and 10–11% (v/v) dilution, respectively. The MIC range of Manuka honey against ATCC strains were in accordance with previous studies [3]. This study has shown that honey other than those approved can have comparable antibacterial activity and therefore, these newly identified honeys may add value to the existing honey resource.
Acknowledgements; We are extremely grateful to Microbiology Department of AFIP, Pakistan, for donating clinical isolates of MRSA and ATCC reference strains. We also wish to thank Professor Peter C Molan of Waikato University, New Zealand for kind donation of Manuka-21 honey sample. We are grateful to the University of Health Sciences, Lahore, for funding of this research project.
References: 1. James, F. et al. (2008) Int. J. Low. Extrem. Wounds. 7:28–31.
2. Visavadia, B.G. et al. (2008) Br. J. Oral Maxillofac. Surg. 46:696–697.
3. French, V.M. et al. (2005)J. Antimicrob. Chemother. 56:228–31.