Healing’s Sweeter the Second Time Around: Honey’s Natural Wound Healing Properties

Honey, a sweet viscous substance produced by honey bees from the nectar of flowers, has made its way to supermarkets, health food stores, and even to your kitchen pantry since the early to mid-20th century. 

But did you know that the same sticky, sugary edible compound could also make its way to your medicine cabinet? 

According to Scepankova, H. et al. (2021), honey has been used to treat wounds since ancient times, mainly because of its antimicrobial activities. In addition, honey has been demonstrated to be effective against antibiotic-resistant bacteria. 

Because honey contains multiple antimicrobial components and its various antibacterial mechanisms, bacteria are unlikely to develop resistance to it. Alongside the wound-healing abilities of honey, its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant activity allows for the regeneration of damaged tissue and stimulation of skin and immune cells. 

In a study conducted by Suarez, A. et al. (2021), honey produced by the Philippine stingless bee T. biroi has been identified to be an antibiotic compound, possessing high antibacterial activity against S. aureus ATCC BAA-44, a multidrug-resistant strain. 

Honey crude extract from T. biroi showed the highest content of phenolics and flavonoids with isorhamnetin, one of its antibiotic components, known to be present in various plants such as mangoes and bananas, suggesting the possible origin of isorhamnetin in T. biroi honey, as the foraging area of bee hives is surrounded by coconut, banana, and mango trees. 

The study has shown that honey produced by the stingless bee T. biroi exhibits antibacterial activity against Staphylococcal pathogens, with strong activity against the multidrug-resistant S. aureus. This honey also demonstrates high antioxidant activity compared to A. mellifera honey extracts. 

Furthermore, the flavonoids and phenolic compounds in Philippine honey were found to have a direct link to both in vitro antibacterial and antioxidant activities.

Honey has also shown significant improvement in promoting the healing of stubborn or hard-to-treat wounds.

Honelle® Wound Gel

Honelle® Wound Gel works by serving as a bioactive healing salve with Marajon® honey, a medical-grade honey known for its premium antimicrobial properties, maintaining a moist wound environment favorable for wound healing.

Honelle® Wound Gel serves as an effective natural wound dressing for the following:

• Traumatic and surgical wounds

• Burns (second and third degree)

• Epithelial to cutaneous wounds

• Necrotic wounds

• Donor sites

• Pressure ulcers

• Chronic ulcers (diabetic foot ulcer, venous stasis ulcer, arterial ulcer, leg ulcer)

When it comes to wound healing, Honelle® Wound Gel’s all-natural formulation guarantees a safe and non-toxic wound healing process, making it a trusted choice for both healthcare professionals and everyday first aid use. 

Reference:

Scepankova, H., Combarros-Fuertes, P., Fresno, J. M., Tornadijo, M. E., Dias, M. S., Pinto, C. A., Saraiva, J. A., & Estevinho, L. M. (2021). Role of Honey in Advanced Wound Care. Molecules, 26(16), 4784. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26164784

Suarez, A. F. L., Tirador, A. D. G., Villorente, Z. M., Bagarinao, C. F., Sollesta, J. V. N., Dumancas, G. G., Sun, Z., Zhan, Z. Q., Saludes, J. P., & Dalisay, D. S. (2021). The Isorhamnetin-Containing Fraction of Philippine Honey Produced by the Stingless Bee Tetragonula biroi Is an Antibiotic against Multidrug-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Molecules, 26(6), 1688. https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules26061688