Benefits of Mānuka honey

What are the advantages of Mānuka honey wound dressings? Why is Mānuka honey better than traditional antiseptic creams?

Transcript

Julie Betts (Health Waikato)

The ApiNate® dressing, because of the action of the honey, has several effects on wound healing. It controls bacterial growth which in chronic wounds can be problematic. People that have chronic wounds often don’t manage the bacterial loading in their wounds particularly well, and so that’s an advantage to do that. It tips the scales in the patient’s favour. Also, it stimulates angiogenesis, which is part of the process of wound healing. You have to have good angiogenesis for new tissue to grow. The honey actually creates an environment that allows that natural process to happen at a more optimum rate.

Peter Molan (University of Waikato)

It’s killing the bacteria like the various antiseptics on the market, but the big difference is it does no harm at all to the body. Whereas, all antiseptics damage the cells in the wound which are needed for repairing, re-growing new tissue and new skin, so antiseptics slow the rate of healing.