[sidebar]The research: Researchers at Salve Regina University in Rhode Island are conducting research to learn more about honey’s effectiveness on different strains of common bacteria. So far, they have found multifloral honeys (honeys culled from multiple species of flowers) to be effective at fighting E. coli. And though they’ve been less potent against the dangerous Staphylococcus aureus, that doesn’t mean other varieties of the sticky stuff won’t fare better. “The testing is ongoing, and we will be testing many other types of honeys, mainly monofloral [honeys from a single flower species], as activity can be very floral source related,” says study author Susan Meschwitz Meschwitz, an associate professor of chemistry. What it means: Antibiotics work by killing bacteria, which puts selective pressure on the bugs to become resistant. But “honey works on multiple levels, by various mechanisms, including antioxidant, antibacterial, and antivirulence,” Meschwitz says. In other words, it seems to be able to do things that antibiotics can’t, like disrupt communication between bacteria, which can help stop them from mushrooming into larger, more dangerous communities. The bottom line: One day, honey might work in conjunction with antibiotics to help stop and reverse antibacterial resistance throughout the body. In the meantime, you can use it as a topical treatment for wounds, Meschwitz says. However, it’s important to use medical grade varieties, like Medihoney, which has been sterilized to remove botulism spores. More from Prevention: Are Pain Relievers The Antibiotics Of The Future?
