eCAM Advance Access originally published online on January 7, 2008
eCAM 2009 6(2):165-173; doi:10.1093/ecam/nem175
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Commentary |
Medical Honey for Wound Care—Still the Latest Resort?
1Children's Hospital Medical Centre, University of Bonn, Bonn, 2Institute for Bee Research, Celle, Germany and 3Department of Biological Sciences, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
While the ancient Egyptians and Greeks used honey for wound care, and a broad spectrum of wounds are treated all over the world with natural unprocessed honeys from different sources, MedihoneyTM has been one of the first medically certified honeys licensed as a medical product for professional wound care in Europe and Australia. Our experience with medical honey in wound care refers only to this product. In this review, we put our clinical experience into a broader perspective to comment on the use of medical honey in wound care. More prospective randomized studies on a wider range of types of wounds are needed to confirm the safety and efficacy of medical honey in wound care. Nonetheless, the current evidence confirming the antibacterial properties and additional beneficial effects of medical honey on wound healing should encourage other wound care professionals to use CE-certified honey dressings with standardized antibacterial activity, such as MedihoneyTM products, as an alternative treatment approach in wounds of different natures.
Keywords: Medical honey – wound care – MRSA
For reprints and all correspondence: Dr med. Arne Simon, Paediatric Haematology and Oncology, Children's Hospital Medical Centre, University of Bonn, Adenauerallee 119, 53113 Bonn, Germany. Tel: 0049 (0) 2282873-3254/3255/3305; Fax: 0049 (0) 2282873-3301; E-mail: asimon{at}ukb.uni-bonn.de
Received July 19, 2007; accepted November 5, 2007