Honey: A possible future Alternative Medicine

Shamim Ahmad

Aligarh Muslim University, India

Scientific Tracks Abstracts: Altern Integr Med

Abstract :

Emergence of multiple antibiotic- resistance in various pathogenic bacteria, particularly in superbugs,including Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus â??MRSA has created a havoc in Modern Medicine,it being a serious global health problem. Consequently, antimicrobial properties of honeys around the world has revealed that it can reduce microbial pathogenicity as well as reverse antimicrobial resistance. Honey is usually referred to as being Disease Healer in the Pious Book of the Holy “Noble Quran” and many “Prophetic Narrations”, occupying a prominent place in traditional Medicine throughout medical history. Honey is well known to have been used to treat the infected wounds as long as 2000 years before the bacteria were discovered. It has a long history in the treatment of wounds, where claims of its therapeutic properties include the inhibition of a wide range of infectious agents as well as an ability to promote rapid wound healing. Traditional treatment therapies including Ayurvedic and Unani Medicine have been using honey as a vital medicine for centuries. At present, Branded Manuka Honey and many other Honey commercial products being possessing antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant medicinal properties have revolutionized the Modern Medicine for the treatment many ailments and thus, these brands have now flooded world market demonstrating it to be highly effective agent in the treatment of many wound infections, burns, dental caries, sore throat, psoriasis, gastrointestinal disorders, arthritis, eczema, stomach aches, flu like symptoms and corneal ulcers . Beside, a number of bacterial and fungal infections are testimony to the natural use of Honey in the effective treatment as an alternate medicine in 21st century of Medicine. The availability of modern, licensed dressings containing medical grade Honey has generated renewed interest in its clinical potential for conventional wound care. Recently, a large number of workers have shown the miracles of Honey in Ophthalmology, Dentistry, Surgery including Plastic Surgery, Gynaecology, Paediatrics, Dermatology, and Gastroenterology. Emphasizing, Ophthalmology, Honey to our surprise,from a variety of floral sources and geographic locations, and in a range of concentrations, has been reported as an eï¬?ective adjunctive treatment in the chronic management of ocular surface diseases, including post-operative corneal oedema and bullous keratopathy unsuitable for corneal grafting, alkali burns, aqueous deficient dry eye, meibomian gland dysfunction, herpes zoster-related neurotrophic keratitis, vernal kerato-conjunctivitis, contact lens-related bacterial keratitis and also as an antimicrobial prophylaxis for even eye surgeries. Similarly, in Dentistry, too, Honey has demonstrated effective antibacterial and anti-inflammatory role in many aspects like enhancing the soft tissue healing of the socket and thereby, prevention of infection after tooth extraction . Further, a long term in vitro and in vivo studies on antibacterial and curative effects of Honey even on superbugâ??MRSA from eye patients in our UK and Indian laboratories on the treatment trials in dry eye syndromes cases among human beings provides potential prospects and miraculous scope of Honey as a possible antibacterial alternate medicine in various fields of modern medicine in future to fight with the most difficult resistant bacterial pathogens, non healing ulcers and many more infections.

Biography :

Shamim Ahmad is working in Aligarh Muslim University, India

E-mail: drsarimahmad@gmail.com