From the Guidelines
Manuka honey has no proven benefits for wound healing in diabetes-related foot ulcers.
Benefits of Manuka Honey
- The evidence suggests that honey, including Manuka honey, may have some benefits in reducing infection and promoting tissue healing in certain types of wounds, such as superficial burns and partial thickness burns 1.
- A study found that honey dressings compared to silver sulfadiazine-impregnated gauze dressings showed a decreased mean duration of time to healing and resolution of infection at 7 days 1.
- However, the evidence is low-quality and downgraded for risk of bias, imprecision, and indirectness, which limits the strength of the recommendations.
- In the context of diabetes-related foot ulcers, the evidence is insufficient to support the use of honey or bee-related products for promoting wound healing 1.
- The International Working Group on the Diabetic Foot (IWGDF) recommends against the use of honey or bee-related products for wound healing in diabetes-related foot ulcers due to the low certainty of any positive benefit 1.
From the Research
Benefits of Manuka Honey
The benefits of Manuka honey are numerous and well-documented in various studies 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. Some of the key benefits include:
- Antimicrobial and antibacterial properties, which can aid in wound healing and tissue regeneration 2, 4, 5
- Antioxidant and anti-proliferative capacities, which can help inhibit the process of carcinogenesis and progression of cancer cells 2
- Anti-inflammatory properties, which can help reduce inflammation and promote healing 2, 6
- Immunomodulatory properties, which can help enhance wound healing and tissue regeneration 2
Therapeutic Applications
Manuka honey has been found to have various therapeutic applications, including:
- Wound healing and tissue regeneration 2, 4, 5
- Treatment of gingivitis and periodontal disease 5
- Inhibition of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase activity 6
- Antimicrobial activity against a spectrum of organisms, including those with multi-drug resistance 4
Unique Constituents
Manuka honey contains unique constituents, such as methylglyoxal (MGO) and 2-methoxybenzoic acid (2-MBA), which have been found to possess anti-HIV-1 RT activity and antibacterial properties 4, 6. The presence of these constituents is thought to contribute to the honey's therapeutic properties and antimicrobial activity.