The antibacterial powers of honey

Elliot Young

Honey

Background

Honey’s antibacterial properties

High Sugar Concentration

MethylglyoxalHydrogen Peroxide

Background

Honey’s antibacterial properties

High Sugar Concentration

MethylglyoxalHydrogen Peroxide

Background

Honey’s antibacterial properties

High Sugar Concentration

MethylglyoxalHydrogen Peroxide

Background

Background

+

Background

Honey’s antibacterial properties

High Sugar Concentration

MethylglyoxalHydrogen Peroxide

Methodology• 3 honeys compared:

• Processed• Unprocessed• 10+ UMF Manuka

• Honey’s antibacterial qualities tested against escherichia coli and bacillus subtilis

Hypothesis: As I increase the concentration of each honey, the antibacterial effect of the honey will increase (reflected by the diameter of clear zone). Manuka honey should also have a stronger antibacterial quality compared to the other honeys due to the significant levels of methylglyoxal (MGO) in the manuka.

Methodology

Clear zone diameters measured & recorded

Agar plates incubated for 42 hours at 25oC

5 different concentrations of honey plated

0.09ml honey sample placed in each hole

Four holes taken out of each agar plate with a sterile cork borer

Agar plates inoculated with 0.5ml bacteria

Results & Analysis

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 1000

5

10

15

20

25

concentration of honey /%

Mea

n di

amet

er o

f cle

ar z

one

/mm

0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 1000

5

10

15

20

25

Processed HoneyLinear (Processed Honey)Unprocessed Honey

concentration of honey /%

Mea

n di

amet

er o

f cle

ar z

one

/mm

Honeys antibacterial qualities against two bacteria

Escherichia coli Bacillus subtilis

r>0.8All 3 honeys had antibacterial properties

Results & AnalysisHoneys antibacterial qualities at 100%

Concentration against two bacteria

Escherichia coli Bacillus subtilis

0

5

10

15

20

25

Honey Type

Dia

met

er o

f cle

ar

zone

/m

m0

5

10

15

20

25

Honey Type

Dia

met

er o

f cle

ar

zone

/m

m

Processed Unprocessed Manuka Processed Unprocessed Manuka

10+ UMF manuka honey had over twice the antibacterial effect as processed honey at 100% concentration

Difference between processed and unprocessed relatively insignificant

Applications & Further Research

Applications

Antibiotic Resistant Bacterial

Strains

Throat Infections

UlcersFood

Poisoning

Wound Patches