Manuka Honey Could Help to Clear Deadly Bacteria Which Cause Cystic Fibrosis:
Manuka flower – CC 2.0. Avenue
Combining Manuka honey with a common drug was able to help clear a bacterial infection that’s drug-resistant and occasionally lethal. Furthermore, the addition of the honey seemed to ameliorate harmful side effects of the drug, as well as significantly reduce the necessary dosage used in the treatment. Manuka honey, made in Australia and New Zealand from bees browsing on the Leptospermum scoparium tree, is long known to have wide-ranging medicinal properties, but more recently has been identified for its broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity. Now scientists have found that manuka honey has the potential to kill a number of drug-resistant bacterial infections such as Mycobacterium abscessus—which usually affects patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) or bronchiectasis. In a study conducted in the UK, scientists found that the introduction of Manuka honey and the antibiotic amikacin to treat cystic fibrosis lowered the potential for severe side effects and cut down on symptoms of the disease. Amikacin is an expensive antibiotic but supplementing with Manuka honey has proven to be more effective while using less of the drug. Overall, scientists are extremely optimistic about this new finding and see promise for a possible cure for cystic fibrosis.