New Zealand honey proves effective as antibacterial, anti-fungal wound dressing

• You may already enjoy it on toast, but you may not know that a certain type of honey can be used to help heal cuts and ulcers too.
• Nowadays, people tend to use honey for not much more than spreading on toast or using in baked goods and hot beverages, but it hasn't always been the way.
• As the growth in all things natural to improve health continues to grow, people choose traditional remedies above pharmaceutical products for everyday ailments.
• Manuka honey is produced from Leptospermum plants, which grow in New Zealand and some parts of Australia.
• Honey produced from different plants has different properties, and not all honey is particularly antibacterial.
• Enzymes in honey slowly release hydrogen peroxide, but antibacterial activity resulting from this may lessen as hydrogen peroxide is broken down by the body's own enzymes.
• Manuka honey, however, contains an additional antibacterial component, which is more stable, and therefore able to stay in the body longer and fight infection.
• The strength of Manuka honey and its efficacy at stimulating the body's own resources to heal itself is classified according to "Unique Manuka Factor" (UMF).
• The healing and restorative properties of Manuka honey can help heal everyday cuts and grazes and even more severe lacerations and burns and even bed sores and tropical ulcers.
• It can be sterilised for use on wounds without losing its antibacterial properties, and it offers an alternative to pharmaceutical treatments that is proving a firm favourite with many seeking natural remedies to soothe, hydrate and heal wounds.
• Scientists in New Zealand have developed Comvita Manuka Care 18+, a sterilised form of Manuka honey that is high potency - with a UMF of 18 - and easy to use.