title: Comparison of the antimicrobial activity of Ulmo honey from Chile and Manuka honey against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Honey has previously been shown to have wound healing and antimicrobial properties, but this is dependent on the type of honey, geographical location and flower from which the final product is derived. We tested the antimicrobial activity of a Chilean honey made by Apis mellifera (honeybee) originating from the Ulmo tree (Eucryphia cordifolia), against selected strains of bacteria.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ulmo 90 honey was compared with manuka UMF 25+ (Comvita) honey and a laboratory synthesised (artificial) honey. An agar well diffusion assay and a 96 well minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) spectrophotometric-based assay were used to assess antimicrobial activity against five strains of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Initial screening with the agar diffusion assay demonstrated that Ulmo 90 honey had greater antibacterial activity against all MRSA isolates tested than manuka honey and similar activity against E. coli and P. aeruginosa. The MIC assay, showed that a lower MIC was observed with Ulmo 90 honey (3.1% - 6.3% v/v) than with manuka honey (12.5% v/v) for all five MRSA isolates. For the E. coli and Pseudomonas strains equivalent MICs were observed (12.5% v/v). The MIC for artificial honey was 50% v/v. The minimum bactericidal concentration for all isolates tested for Ulmo 90 honey was identical to the MIC. Unlike manuka honey, Ulmo 90 honey activity is largely due to hydrogen peroxide production.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Due to its high antimicrobial activity, Ulmo 90 may warrant further investigation as a possible alternative therapy for wound healing.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Microbiology, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, Dublin, Ireland.
authors.forename: Orla
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Sherlock
authors.forename: Anthony
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dolan
authors.forename: Rahma
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Athman
authors.forename: Alice
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Power
authors.forename: Georgina
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gethin
authors.forename: Seamus
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Cowman
authors.forename: Hilary
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Humphreys
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D056705:Apitherapy; D002677:Chile; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000187:drug effects*; D006722:Honey; D019684:Magnoliopsida; D055624:Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus / Q000187:drug effects*; D008826:Microbial Sensitivity Tests; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000187:drug effects*; D014945:Wound Healing / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents
references.citation: J Pharm Pharmacol. 1991 Dec;43(12):817-22
references.pmid: 1687577
references.citation: Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis. 2009 Apr;28(4):339-44
references.pmid: 18818958
references.citation: Scand J Infect Dis. 2009;41(5):341-7
references.pmid: 19308800
references.citation: J Wound Care. 2008 Aug;17(8):333-41
references.pmid: 18754194
references.citation: FASEB J. 2010 Jul;24(7):2576-82
references.pmid: 20228250
references.citation: J Appl Bacteriol. 1992 Nov;73(5):388-94
references.pmid: 1447054
references.citation: Mol Nutr Food Res. 2008 Apr;52(4):483-9
references.pmid: 18210383
references.citation: Int J Food Microbiol. 2001 Sep 28;69(3):217-25
references.pmid: 11603859
references.citation: J Wound Care. 1996 Jun;5(6):277-80
references.pmid: 8850916
references.citation: Arch Med Res. 2005 Sep-Oct;36(5):464-7
references.pmid: 16099322
references.citation: J Appl Microbiol. 2002;93(5):857-63
references.pmid: 12392533
references.citation: J Microbiol Methods. 2006 Jan;64(1):84-95
references.pmid: 15979745
references.citation: Cytokine. 2003 Mar 7;21(5):242-7
references.pmid: 12824009
references.citation: Trop Doct. 2000 Oct;30(4):249-50
references.pmid: 11075670
references.citation: J Wound Care. 2008 Jun;17(6):241-4, 246-7
references.pmid: 18666717
references.citation: J Leukoc Biol. 2007 Nov;82(5):1147-55
references.pmid: 17675558
references.citation: J R Soc Med. 1994 Jan;87(1):9-12
references.pmid: 8308841