Honey INHIBITS Candida-- both in vitro and in vivo

[Guest guest]

All but one in vitro study I found showed honey to inhibit the growth

of candida. One study found that honey eliminated candida in 2 of 4

human babies in vivo. One in vitro study found that candida grew in

olive oil somewhat, but not at all in honey, which is great since it

compares honey to sugar-free fat, and not just another sugar.

Abstracts below.

Chris

--

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Honey, a prospective antibiotic: extraction, formulation, and stability.

Zaghloul AA, el-Shattawy HH, Kassem AA, Ibrahim EA, Reddy IK, Khan MA.

School of Pharmacy, Al-Azhar University, Nasr City, Cairo, Egypt.

Texas Tech University Health Science Center, Amarillo, TX, USA.

abdel@...

Old and recent reports show that honey has beneficial effects on the

skin as antiseptic for wounds, burns and ulcers and as a healing

promoter. Many investigators confirmed the usefulness of honey in the

treatment of skin infections as well as internal diseases. The factors

behind these effects are not completely explained. The aim of this

study is: a) to investigate the antimicrobial activity of crude honey,

to separate the fractions responsible for its activity, c) to

formulate the honey extract as semisolid dosage forms, d) to study its

release, and e) to determine its stability. The results showed that

the ethylacetate honey extract showed antibacterial, anticandida and

antifungal effects at low concentration. The release of honey extract

from different ointment bases was depending on the constituents of the

base, and its stability was found to be temperature and base

dependent.

Arch Med Res. 2005 Sep-Oct;36(5):464-7. Related Articles, Links

Bactericidal Activity of Different Honeys against Pathogenic Bacteria.

Lusby PE, Coombes AL, Wilkinson JM.

School of Biomedical Sciences, Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, Australia.

BACKGROUND: Renewed interest in honey for various therapeutic purposes

including treatment of infected wounds has led to the search for new

antibacterial honeys. In this study we have assessed the antibacterial

activity of three locally produced honeys and compared them to three

commercial therapeutic honeys (including Medihoney® and manuka

honey). METHODS: An agar dilution method was used to assess the

activity of honeys against 13 bacteria and one yeast. The honeys were

tested at five concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 20%. RESULTS: Twelve

of the 13 bacteria were inhibited by all honeys used in this study

with only Serratia marcescens and the yeast Candida albicans not

inhibited by the honeys. Little or no antibacterial activity was seen

at honey concentrations <1%, with minimal inhibition at 5%. No honey

was able to produce complete inhibition of bacterial growth. Although

Medihoney® and manuka had the overall best activity, the locally

produced honeys had equivalent inhibitory activity for some, but not

all, bacteria. CONCLUSIONS: Honeys other than those commercially

available as antibacterial honeys can have equivalent antibacterial

activity. These newly identified antibacterial honeys may prove to be

a valuable source of future therapeutic honeys.

Arch Med Res. 2005 Jan-Feb;36(1):10-3. Related Articles, Links

Mixture of honey, beeswax and olive oil inhibits growth of

Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans.

Al-Waili NS.

Dubai Specialized Medical Center and Medical Research Labs Islamic

Establishment for Education, Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

noori786@...

BACKGROUND: Honey, beeswax and olive oil mixture (1:1:1, v/v) is

useful in the treatment of diaper dermatitis, psoriasis and eczema.

The study was designed to investigate effects of honey, olive oil, and

beeswax and the mixture on growth of Staphylococcus aureus and Candida

albicans isolated from human specimens. METHODS: The following

experiments were performed: 1) honey mixture was poured on holes made

on plates seeded with S. aureus or C. albicans, 2) the microorganisms

were cultured onto media made of honey mixture alone, nutrient

agar-honey mixture and Sabouraud glucose agar-honey mixture. The

concentration of honey mixture in nutrient agar or Sabouraud glucose

agar was 12.5, 25, 33, 50 and 66% (v/v), and 3) honey, olive oil or

beeswax was added onto nutrient agar or Sabouraud glucose agar at a

ratio of 1:2 (v/v) and then were seeded with S. aureus or C. albicans.

RESULTS: Clear zone of inhibition was observed around holes filled

with honey mixture; 3.5 mm on media seeded with C. albicans and 4 mm

on media seeded with S. aureus. No growth of either microorganism was

obtained on media made of honey mixture alone. The minimum

concentration of honey mixture in nutrient agar-honey mixture media

required to inhibit S. aureus was 50% and 66% concentration was

required to inhibit C. albicans growth onto Sabouraud glucose

agar-honey mixture media. No growth of S. aureus or C. albicans was

obtained on media containing honey whereas mild to moderate growth was

obtained on media containing olive oil or beeswax. CONCLUSIONS: Honey

and honey mixture apparently could inhibit growth of S. aureus or C.

albicans.

: Clin Microbiol Infect. 2005 Feb;11(2):160-3. Related Articles, Links

Clinical and mycological benefits of topical application of honey,

olive oil and beeswax in diaper dermatitis.

Al-Waili NS.

Dubai Specialized Medical Center, Islamic Establishment for Education,

Dubai, United Arab Emirates. noori786@...

Twelve infants suffering from diaper dermatitis were treated four

times daily for 7 days with a mixture containing honey, olive oil and

beeswax. The severity of erythema was evaluated on a five-point scale.

Three infants had severe erythema and ulceration, four had moderate

erythema, and five had moderate erythema with maceration. The initial

mean lesion score of 2.91 +/- 0.79 declined significantly (p < 0.05)

to 2.0 +/- 0.98 (day 3), 1.25 +/- 0.96 (day 5) and 0.66 +/- 0.98 (day

7). Candida albicans was isolated initially from four patients, but

from only two patients after treatment. This topical treatment was

safe and well-tolerated, and demonstrated clinical and mycological

benefits in the treatment of diaper dermatitis.

J Med Food. 2004 Summer;7(2):210-22. Related Articles, Links

Investigating the antimicrobial activity of natural honey and its

effects on the pathogenic bacterial infections of surgical wounds and

conjunctiva.

Al-Waili NS.

Dubai Specialized Medical Center and Medical Research Laboratories,

Islamic Establishment for Education, PO Box 19099, Dubai, United Arab

Emirates. noori786@...

Antimicrobial activities of 10-100% (wt/vol) concentrations of new

honey, stored honey, heated honey, ultraviolet-exposed honey, and

heated stored honey were tested against common human pathogens,

including Escherichia coli, Entrobacter cloacae, Pseudomonas

aeruginosa, Shigella dysenteriae, Klebsiella sp., Haemophilus

influenzae, Proteus sp., Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus

hemolyticus group B, and Candida albicans. Antimicrobial activity of

honey was tested in acidic, neutral, or alkaline media. These were

compared with similar concentrations of glucose in nutrient broth.

Surgical wounds were made on the dorsum of mice and infected with S.

aureus or Klebsiella sp. The wounds were treated with local

application of honey four times a day or appropriate antibiotics and

compared with control values. Bacterial conjunctivitis due to E. coli,

Proteus sp., S. aureus, Klebsiella sp., and P. aeruginosa was induced

in rats. Conjunctival application of honey four times a day or

appropriate antibiotics was used for treatment and compared with

control values. Growth of all the isolates was completely inhibited by

30-100% honey concentrations. The most sensitive microbes were E.

coli, P. aeruginosa, and H. influenzae. Glucose showed less

antimicrobial activity than honey, and many microbes showed positive

culture even in 100% glucose. Heating to 80 degrees C for 1 hour

decreased antimicrobial activity of both new and stored honey. Storage

of honey for 5 years decreased its antimicrobial activity, while

ultraviolet light exposure increased its activity against some of the

microorganisms. Antimicrobial activity of honey was stronger in acidic

media than in neutral or alkaline media. Single doses of honey used to

prepare the 60% concentration in nutrient broth were bacteriocidal for

P. aeruginosa and bacteriostatic for S. aureus and Klebsiella sp.

during certain periods. Local application of raw honey on infected

wounds reduced redness, swelling, time for complete resolution of

lesion, and time for eradication of bacterial infection due to S.

aureus or Klebsiella sp. Its potency was comparable to that of local

antibiotics. Honey application into infective conjunctivitis reduced

redness, swelling, pus discharge, and time for eradication of

bacterial infections due to all the isolates tested.

1: J Pharm Pharmacol. 1984 Apr;36(4):283-4. Related Articles, Links

In-vitro evaluation of the anticandidiasis activity of honey

distillate (HY-1) compared with that of some antimycotic agents.

Obaseiki-Ebor EE, Afonya TC.

The susceptibility of 72 isolates of Candida albicans to the

antimicrobial honey distillate fraction (HY-1) and several antimycotic

agents is presented. All the isolates were sensitive to HY-1, H-115

and Jadit, while about 10% of the isolates were variably resistant to

nystatin, miconazole nitrate and clotrimazole. The nystatin,

miconazole nitrate and clotrimazole resistant isolates were inhibited

by HY-1.