Minutus

I found this amusing!
Someone did a study using a "medical" honey, "derived from the
Leptospermum honey" (is that Manuka honey?), showing all sorts of
benefits to wounds. What's amusing is that the *same* is true of any
type of honey. Perhaps Manuka (assuming that's what this is) does it
better; perhaps their "medical" version does it better still--but
using honey for wounds is not "novel"--it's been used *at least* for
centuries, so presumably longer. Everything they say below about
"medhoney" is also true of *any* honey! (I'd be interested to know if
anyone here can tell me how Manuka honey acts differently from other
honeys; I'm not disputing, just curious!)

Okay, here's the "medhoney" article; below is an interesting one I
pulled up about "regular" honey on diabetic foot ulcers. (I suppose
the same concerns about possible suppression would arise with this, as
with any topical treatment; certainly healing the underlying
weaknesses--including e.g. the diabetes!!--should also be addressed,
or the disease will continue on its course and same and worse will
arise in the future...) For years I've used honey--any kind--on cuts,
and it is wonderful: makes gapping edges pull together, even deep cuts
heal quickly and (at least so far as I've seen) without scarring.
That and calendula lotion, of course.

Shannon
from http://www.personalliberty.com/news/stu ... -19277732/
Study: Honey used for antimicrobial purposes

July 22, 2009 by Personal Liberty News Desk

More often, people stir honey into tea, use it to make desserts such
as baklava and sometimes even spread it on toast. Now a new paper
reveals that one kind of honey may be used as a novel first aid
treatment.

The paper appears in the European Journal of Clinical Microbiological
Infectious Diseases and examines the Leptospermum honey, found
commonly in New Zealand and Australia.

Because honey has a low pH level, researchers found, it does not
irritate the wound site. In addition, the treated, medical-grade honey
also promotes the growth of new tissue and helps eliminate pain and
scarring.

CEO and chairman of Derma Sciences, Edward Quilty produces MEDHONEY
which is derived from the Leptospermum honey and he feels that the
recent article "does a great job" of highlighting its medical benefits.

MEDHONEY has subsequently been used to treat surgical wounds, diabetic
foot ulcers, burns and other skin complications.

Researchers further discovered that this honey also has antimicrobial
properties, in that it acts as an antibiotic against bacteria like
methicillin resistant S. aureus (MRSA) and vancomycin-resistant
strains (VRS).

Honey is also reported to have other benefits such as helping to
smooth skin when mixed up in all-natural creams and lotions.
ADNFCR-1961-ID-19277732-ADNFCR

Pilot study on "regular" honey:
http://www.fammed.wisc.edu/research/ext ... ney-ulcers

well they have now found the pathway to patent another natural product and
this pathway will be used on other items as well--for example garlic! a medically
useful herb used all over the world for all kinds of conditions will now be available
for patent due to a 'variety of garlic will now be called medgarl!"
tanya

While you are certainly right that the pharmaceutical industry is always looking for a way to legally patent a natural product - in this case the Medihoney is a wonderful opportunity to get a good healing substance into hospitals. Because it is 'packaged' in a way that is acceptable to hospital administrators, and can be 'prescribed', stocked, and administered in a traditional manner - hopefully more wound and burn victims will receive a natural high quality, no side effect, treatment. Yes - they could just as easily go out and buy a jar of honey and use plain gause dressings - but can you see any traditional hospital administrator allowing that? Just like medical leeches are raised in 'approved' conditions and shipped in 'medical' containers and arrive at the hospital pharmacy - instead of picked up from local swamps. It's all in the packaging - and from what I see, the Medihoney is not trying to patent the honey - but rather a standardized 'approved' delivery package.

Hopefully the public will learn about 'natural' healing techniques and not need to use the Medihoney bandages (that's where we come in ) - but I'm glad there is the possibility of getting honey in the hospital and not just petroleum based products of modern chemistry.

Now if we can just get them to use homeopathic remedies!!!!!!

Donna

D C Rona, PhD, ND, DHM

--- In minutus@yahoogroups.com, "Tanya Marquette" wrote:

oh rona, if they used the remedies, they might just have to work with homeopaths who know how to case the patient.
now that would be a travesty for them, wouldn't it!
as for packaging, i can see the md's chastising a patient for wanting to use their local healthfood store honey because
they didn't spend oodles on the 'special' packaging that the hospitals will use.
tanya

It contains Manuka and Kanuka Essential Oils, which are antiseptic, bacteriostatic, bactericide, virucide and probably kill parasites too.
An extra action especially on deeply infected wounds.
 
Dr. J. Rozencwajg, NMD.
"The greatest enemy of any science is a closed mind"
Visit my new website www.naturamedica.webs.com

From memory of reading something a few months ago, the UMF (unique Manuka factor) in Manuka honey apparently reacts with an enzyme in the wound to create hydrogen peroxide, which promptly kills invading microorganisms. That would seem to be one difference between the action of the high-UMF honeys and of the others. (I can probably dig out the article, if anyone would like it, the topic of which I think was H2O2 rather than Manuka honey.)

Part of the significance of the study quoted in the article you've included is that Manuka (Leptospermum scoparium) honey will kill the problematic Staph. aureus, and most won't, probably exactly because they won't result in the formation of H2O2 in the wound. Of course, something else of significance is the oversight (at least by the article's author, if not by the author's studies) of treating various species of Leptospermum as sufficiently alike to be regarded as interchangeable, a classic symptom of allopathy.

Hydrogen peroxide, H2O2, is one of three substances grouped together, not entirely intentionally, it would seem, as Oxygenium in Clarke: oxygen, hydrogen peroxide, and ozone. During breakdown, hydrogen peroxide produces both oxygen (O2) and ozone (O3) (and, of course, water, H2O). It does so, though, by producing O, a dangerous reactive species of oxygen, which then combines with itself and with oxygen. Along the way, it will readily combine with other molecules (with the potential to set off cancers and other changes due to mutation) if not mopped up by antioxidants, so it must be used with great caution.

Cheers --

John
2009/12/22 Shannon & Bob Nelson >

Mm, sounds good.
I'd love to hear of experiences or research as to whether it actually *does* work better.
I guess I mainly just think it's good to be aware that the good ol' plain ol' honey also works great... But deeply infected wounds I confess to not having experience with.

It contains Manuka and Kanuka Essential Oils, which are antiseptic, bacteriostatic, bactericide, virucide and probably kill parasites too.
An extra action especially on deeply infected wounds.
 
Dr. J. Rozencwajg, NMD.
"The greatest enemy of any science is a closed mind"
Visit my new website www.naturamedica.webs.com

As a bee keeper I would offer that it might be a significance difference between 'real' honey, whether manuka or not and 'commercial' honey that is boiled to oblivion and has sugars added to it - yuk and useless

Joy

http://www.joylucashomeopathy.com
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/homeopathystudy/

What I read is that "regular" honey also has H2O2, but in smaller amounts.
Interesting that the Manuka variety kills germs that the regular kinds won't--that's good to know. Well, I've got some on my shelf, "in case"! (Hah, and in case my family doesn't eat it first!)

Shannon