**Antimicrobial Activity of Honey**

**Antimicrobial Activity of Honey**

#### Piotr Szweda Piotr Szweda Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

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DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-2621.2008.01715.x

214 Honey Analysis

Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/67117

#### **Abstract**

Honey has had a valued place in traditional medicine for centuries. It was used to overcome liver, cardiovascular and gastrointestinal problems and for treatment of some types of infectious disease. Particularly, good results were achieved in the case of application of this product for therapy of infected, difficult to heal wounds. The high health-promoting properties of honey have been recently confirmed in many research investigations. The antimicrobial activity of this product is highly complex. Generation of hydrogen peroxide, bee defensin-1, high osmolarity and low value of pH seems to be crucial for its antimicrobial potential. Considering honey as a therapeutic, antimicrobial agent special attention deserves Manuka honey. Its high antimicrobial activity is caused by high concentration of 1,2-dicarbonyl compound methylglyoxal. Some authors also suggest that other phytochemicals, especially phenolic compounds, are important antibacterial ingredients of honey. The results of many in vitro but also in vivo studies confirm high antimicrobial potential of honey against some important human and veterinary pathogens: *Staphylococcus aureus, Helicobacter pylori, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa* and *Escherichia coli*. We do not have doubts that honey, but also other bee products, especially propolis, is promising antimicrobial agents and possibilities of their application in clinical medicine deserve consideration.

**Keywords:** honey, glucose oxidase, bee defensin-1, polyphenols, antimicrobial activity, infectious diseases, staphylococci
