Manuka honey is honey made from the flowers of the manuka bushes which grow wild in New Zealand. The Maoris were aware of its capabilities and used it to heal wounds from battle and from accidents. But it has been discovered that it is also effective in treating hospital "superbugs" which have proved resistant to antibiotics.
Much of this supposedly new knowledge about the honey is due to the work of Dr. Peter Molan of the Honey Research Unit at Waikato University in Hamilton, New Zealand. He has studied the effectiveness of the honey and devised a scale which he calls the UMF (Unique Manuka Factor).
Manuka Honey and the Unique Manuka Factor
All honeys, whether from manuka flowers or not, contain hydrogen peroxide produced from an enzyme which the bees add to honey. But manuka honey has something else besides.
Dr. Molan discovered that some types of manuka honey carry a special antibacterial property which varies from honey to honey. Therefore, some manuka honeys are more effective against infections than others. To distinguish between them, Dr. Molan gives each a number on a scale from 1 to 16+. This number is derived by comparing the antibacterial properties with a known quantity of a standard antiseptic (phenol or carbolic). Hence:
- 0-4 antibacterial strength not detectable
- 5-9 can be used for maintenance of antibacterial effect of stronger honeys
- 10-15 the level required to treat infections
- 16+ very high antibacterial properties
Manuka Honey: Uses in Hospitals
Manuka honey has been used in New Zealand hospitals for quite some time now. It has been proved to be effective in treating burns and leg ulcers, pressure sores and infections caused by bacteria resistant to antibiotics – the so-called hospital "superbugs."
Now, a company is marketing manuka honey dressings developed by Dr. Molan to take the mess out of applying honey to wounds and sores.
In the UK, researchers at the Cardiff Centre of Bio Medical Sciences have been testing samples of bacteria from hospitals to see how effective manuka honey can be. At Manchester Royal Infirmary, doctors are using the manuka honey dressings on mouth and throat cancer patients to help prevent infection and reduce inflammation.
And manuka honey dressings have even been used to treat a dog suffering from burns sustained in a house fire. Lady, an eight-year old Alsatian is recovering well.
Manuka Honey Produced in Cornwall
In 2009, the first batch of manuka honey was produced from manuka bushes brought to a Cornwall estate in 1888 by Canon Arthur Boscawen. The Tregothnan estate near Truro sold out of the honey even with a price tag of £55. The director said that people were so aware of the benefits of using manuka honey that "they were happy to pay a premium."
Ann Burnett - Ann Burnett is an experienced writer of children's stories and scripts, short stories and articles, and comedy.
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