Monday, May 14, 2007

Active Manuka Honey's Unique Characteristics


  • Only active Manuka honey provides non-hydrogen peroxide antibacterial components.
  • The Manuka antibacterial factor is unaffected by enzymes in the body that destroy hydrogen peroxide components.
  • The Manuka antibacterial factor is highly effective against antibiotic resistant "superbugs."
  • The Manuka antibacterial component maintains its potency even when diluted over 50 times as will happen when used on or in the body.
  • The Manuka antibacterial factor is unaffected by heat, light, or time.
  • The Manuka antibacterial factor may be used full strength and covered. It does not require moisture or oxygen to be effective, as do other honeys.
  • Active Manuka's antibacterial factor diffuses more deeply into skin tissue than do the enzymes of other honeys.



Natural Treatment for Gum Disease

Honey is a good antimicrobial and has a great number of applications for treating all sorts of ailments aside from gum disease. Everything from eczema to prostate problems are being effectively treated with honey. However, not all types of honey are the same. Some honeys may not be any better for your teeth than refined sugar, but at the other end of the spectrum, there are honeys which are outstanding for their antimicrobial properties.

Honey contains an enzyme that produces hydrogen peroxide which is believed to be the main reason for the antimicrobial activity of honey. Types of honey differ greatly in their antimicrobial potency, varying as much as a hundred fold. The research has shown that honey not only stops the growth of the dental plaque bacteria, it reduces the amount of acid produced, which stops the bacteria from producing dextran. Dextran, a component of dental plaque, is the gummy polysaccharide that the bacteria produce in order to adhere to the surface of the teeth.

Honey derived from the Manuka (Leptospermum scoparium) bush, found in abundance in New Zealand, claims the highest potency of antimicrobial properties. In fact, Manuka honey's antibacterial factor is unaffected by enzymes in the body that destroy hydrogen peroxide components. Normally, peroxide isn't considered a good antimicrobial because the body too quickly dilutes it. It also has an exceptionally high level of plant-derived antimicrobial activity. Antioxidants in honey prevent the formation of free radicals and the nutrient supply of honey is an important factor in new tissue growth, damaged by infection, as well.

Manuka honey has UMF (Unique Manuka Factor) in addition to the usual hydrogen peroxide anti-bacterial activity making it doubly potent. UMF honey is more effective than hydrogen peroxide against some types of bacteria. The level of UMF activity is found in laboratory testing by removing the hydrogen peroxide from the honey and using the same test method for testing an 'active honey'. A rating is found describing the anti-bacterial activity remaining in the honey after the hydrogen peroxide has been removed. This is called Active UMF 10+. UMF is an additional anti-bacterial component that is unique to Manuka Honey.

How is the honey used on the teeth? Some recommend simply rubbing it into the gums after brushing. Since Manuka honey retains it's antimicrobial properties when diluted up to 50 times, it may likely be able to be used as an oral irrigant, when diluted with distilled or filtered water, and injected straight into periodontal pockets using an oral irrigator.

Honey as an Antimicrobial Agent

Honey having antibacterial properties has been known for more than a century. Although it has been used as a medicine since ancient times in many cultures, in its ancient usage there was no recognition of its antibacterial properties. ­It was just known to be an effective remedy. This is not surprising considering that it is only since the latter part of the last century that it has become known that many ailments are the result of infection by micro-organisms. Now it can be recognized that the effectiveness of honey in many of its medical uses is probably due to its antibacterial activity.

It is well established that honey inhibits a broad spectrum of bacterial species. There are many reports of bactericidal as well as bacteriostatic activity. There have also been reports of honey having anti-fungal activity. These numerous reports of the antimicrobial activity of honey have been comprehensively reviewed. The collation of data shows that honey is active against a wide range of bacterial and fungal species, many of which cause infections. However, there are ailments which may be treated with honey which have not had the infectious agents tested for their sensitivity to the antimicrobial activity of honey. Also, there has not been much distinction made in the different types of antimicrobial activity in honey to which the various microbial species are sensitive.

  • Osmotic effect Honey is a saturated solution of sugars, 84% being a mixture of fructose and glucose.
  • Acidity Honey is characteristically quite acidic, its pH being between 3.2 and 4.5, which is low enough to be inhibitory to many animal pathogens.
  • Hydrogen Peroxide The major antibacterial activity in honey has been found to be due to hydrogen peroxide produced enzymically in the honey.
  • Phytochemical factors the evidence for the existence of other antibacterial factors is mainly that the peroxide-generating system does not account for all of the observed antibacterial activity, but there have also been some reports of isolation of antibacterial substances from honey that are not hydrogen peroxide.
  • Variation in antibacterial activity in almost all reports on the medical use of honey as an antibacterial agent, no consideration is given to the selection of type of honey for therapeutic use.



Active Manuka Honey

Manuka groves can be found cloaked with an array of dazzling white flowers every year for a short six-week period in the lush valleys of Waikato New Zealand. Buzzing among these flowers, honeybees can be found in great abundance tapping the sweet nectar from the hearts of the Manuka flowers to create a very rare and extraordinary therapeutic grade honey known as UMF active Manuka honey

It takes more than two million Manuka flowers with bees carrying their own weight in nectar and pollen to make just one pound of this golden Manuka honey. Extremely rare, less than two percent of all of the Manuka honey per year is considered active enough to be certified UMF.

Honey is produced from a variety of floral sources and its natural antimicrobial activity varies greatly with origin and processing. Generally it is the naturally occurring hydrogen peroxide produced by enzymes in the honey that is slowly released in sufficient enough levels to be effective against bacteria but not enough to cause damage to the tissue.

UMF active Manuka honey has an added benefit specific to its floral source known as UMF (Unique Manuka Factor) that gives it an extremely powerful edge over other honeys. It is so powerful that scientific studies have shown the anti-bacterial activity of UMF active Manuka honey to be more than 100 fold stronger compared to other honey. This sweet treat even has the ability to kill antibiotic resistant strains of bacteria.

In order to determine the antibacterial activity of honey, laboratory testing must be undertaken. Currently only New Zealand Manuka honey as well as an Australian variety are tested and rated for activity. Although honey must have a rating of at least 4 to be considered active, medical professionals in New Zealand and Australia use active Manuka honey with a rating of UMF 10 or higher. A higher level of UMF is preferred for maximum potency. Active Manuka honey is compared with a standard reference antiseptic (phenol) for potency. For example, a honey with a rating of 15 would be equivalent in antiseptic potency to a 15% solution of phenol (carbolic disinfectant).

Honey as a Cure

A cancer hospital in Manchester is importing Manuka honey from New Zealand to treat patients following surgery for mouth and throat cancers.

Dr. Nick Slevin, the specialist leading the program at Christie Hospital in Didsbury, Manchester, says Manuka honey has special anti-inflammatory and anti-infection properties and is believed to reduce the likelihood of MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) infection.

The Manchester Royal Infirmary has been using special honey-coated dressings since May and 60 patients at the hospital are taking part in a study to see if the honey can prevent infections which can be resistant to antibiotics.

The honey is produced by bees which mainly feed on the Manuka bush and the hospital is buying it in bulk.

The practice is not new as honey has been used as a medicine since the Ancient Egyptians, who regarded it as a cure for just about everything. For health care products containing Active Manuka Honey go to www.HoneymarkProducts.com.