Improving Antibiotic Activity against Wound Pathogens withManuka Honey In VitroPLoS ONE 7(9): Published on September 26, 2012Following the discovery of synergistic action betweenoxacillin and manuka honey against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus,this study was undertaken to search for further synergistic combinations ofantibiotics and honey that might have potential in treating wounds. Fifteen antibiotics were tested with and without sublethalconcentrations of manuka honey against each of MRSA and Pseudomonas aeruginosausing disc diffusion, broth dilution, E strip, chequerboard titration andgrowth curves. Five novel antibiotic and manuka honey combinations werefound that improved antibacterial effectiveness in vitro and these offer a newavenue of future topical treatments for wound infections caused by these twoimportant pathogens.
The above video gives newcomers to bee products a brief overview of their properties and health benefits. We start with royal jelly and discuss its vitamin properties and health benefits, including energy and stamina and its benefits to the immune system (amino acid content). Bee pollen is discussed, touching on its properties and use by athletes as a supplement to increase stamina and endurance. Propolis benefits are discusses and we wrap up with a look at honey, much more than just an artificial sweetener.
By Natural News | October 8, 2012 Lots of us may like to use a little honey as a sweetener forour morning coffee, toast or tea, but there are several uses for this tastylittle treat - in its pure, raw, non-pasteurized form, it can do more than justbring a smile to our face.Manuka honey as the new 'superfood.' What is Manuka honey,scientifically known as Leptospermum Scoparium?Well, it is honey that is produced by bees that pollinateManuka trees, which grow almost exclusively in the East Cape region of NewZealand. Because it's a bit of a rarity, it also tends to be pricier butaccording to Britain's Telegraph newspaper, a recent survey of people who boughtit showed that 58 percent believed it to be better than ordinary honey - evenif they didn't really know why.This might be why. Manuka honey has a long reputation foroffering a number of health benefits. For New Zealanders, local honeycontaining local pollen can help reduce the effects of hay fever, but foreveryone else, Manuka honey has antiviral and antibacterial actions, which iswhy lots of people familiar with this superfood's qualities down it at thefirst hint of a cold or sore throat…
Paying Lip Service to a New Buzz About Cold SoresBusiness Day, 20/10/2012Like the common cold, there is no cure for common coldsores. Also known as fever blisters, cold sores are small, painful blister thatappear on lips and the skin around them.They are caused by the contagious herpes simplex virus thatis closely related to the one that causes genital herpes.Dermatologists say cold sores often recur in response tostress or a weakened immune system, and are best treated as soon as they appearwith antiviral medications.A new one on the market is an Australian product calledpropovir. It contains a patented extract of propolis, a naturally occurringsubstance that is collected by honey bees (Apis mellifera) from various plantsources. It has been used for over 2000 years as traditional medicine, saysSteven Mann, marketing manager of Mentholatum, the company that has brought theproduct to SA.Propovir has evidence to show that it can speed up thelesion healing process by up to four days, and to reduce pain, significantly,says Mann…
Mechanism of Action of Recombinant Acc-Royalisin from RoyalJelly of Asian Honeybee against Gram-Positive BacteriaPLoS ONE, 7(10): e47194The antibacterial activity of royalisin, an antimicrobialpeptide from the royal jelly produced by honeybees, has been addressedextensively. However, its mechanism of action remains unclear. In this study, a recombinant royalisin, RAcc-royalisin fromthe royal jelly of Asian honeybee Apis cerana cerana, was expressed by fusingwith glutathione S-transferase (GST) in Escherichia coli BL21, isolated andpurified. The agar dilution assays with inhibition zone showed thatRAcc-royalisin, similar to nisin, inhibits the growth of Gram-positivebacteria. The antibacterial activity of RAcc-royalisin was associatedwith its concentration, and was weakened by heat treatment ranging from 55°C to85°C for 15 min. Both RAcc-royalisin and nisin exhibited the minimum inhibitoryconcentrations (MIC) of 62.5 µg/ml, 125 µg/ml, and 250 µg/ml againstGram-positive bacterial strains, Bacillus subtilis and Micrococcus flavus andStaphyloccocus aureus in the microplate assay, respectively. However,RAcc-royalisin did not show antimicrobial activity against tested Gram-negativebacterial and fungal strains. The antibacterial activity of RAcc-royalisinagrees well with the decrease in bacterial cell hydrophobicity, the leakage of260-nm absorbing materials, and the observation by transmission electronmicroscopy, all indicating that RAcc-royalisin induced the disruption anddysfunction of cell walls and membranes. This is the first report detailing the antibacterialmechanism of royalisin against Gram-positive bacteria, and provides insightinto the application of recombinant royalisin in food and pharmaceuticalindustries as an antimicrobial agent.
We at Revive are so excited to be involved in the Glasgow Rocks game on Sunday 14 October! So much so that our new Interim Chief Executive, Iain Morrison, took some friends along to the Rocks first ever game at the new Emirates Arena. 