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Microbes & Immunity Broad-spectrum health benefits of honey

The principal methodologies employed to ascertain the a combination of polyphenolic compounds and hydrogen
antibacterial efficacy of honey 5,21,22 encompass the following: peroxide. Acevedo et al. found that Ulmo honey is rich
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agar diffusion method, microdilution method, electron in benzene derivatives such as benzaldehyde and benzyl
microscopy, turbidity measurement, flow cytometry, and alcohol, which can treat intestinal infections caused by E. coli,
bacterial growth curve assay. The agar diffusion method is a S. aureus, K. pneumoniae, and Salmonella intestinalis among
straightforward and widely employed technique. Typically, others. Gośliński et al. compared Manuka honey with
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the bacteria to be tested are spread on nutrient agar to polish honey, which also had strong antibacterial activity, but
ensure uniform growth. Subsequently, holes are punched in was overall inferior to Manuka honey, which also inhibited
the agar and honey samples are added. On incubation in a Gram-positive bacteria at much lower concentrations, has
constant temperature box, the honey diffuses into the agar, potential for future clinical incorporation. Biluca et al.
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forming a ring of bacterial inhibition around the samples. investigated the bioactivity of stingless bee honey (SBH)
This visual representation demonstrates the inhibitory and found that it had a potent inhibitory effect on a wide
effect of honey on bacteria. Furthermore, the concentration range of Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, but,
of the sample can be varied to ascertain the impact of SBH usually has a high moisture content, which may affect
different concentrations on the bacteria. The microdilution its stability. Afrin et al., made an in-depth comparison of
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method is a more precise and commonly employed assay the inhibitory effect of honey on the activity of S. aureus
for determining the minimum inhibitory concentration. and E. coli and found that the inhibitory effect was better
The honey sample is diluted to varying concentrations and on Gram-negative organisms, taking into account the fact
added to a 96-well plate, followed by the addition of an equal that negative organisms are more susceptible to the effects
volume of the bacterial suspension to each well. Once the of antimicrobial substances in honey due to their thinner
incubation period has elapsed, the optical density of each cell walls.
well is determined, and the rate of inhibition is calculated.
The well exhibiting the lowest concentration of the honey 3.2. Antifungal activity
sample and no bacterial growth is identified, representing Compared to antimicrobial research, research on honey’s
the minimum concentration of bacterial inhibition. ability to fight fungi is commonly overlooked. Common
In addition to its low water content, acidic nature, and high fungi include yeasts, molds, and Aspergillus, which are
osmotic pressure, Manuka Honey also contains MGO, a non- widely used in food, agriculture, and pharmaceutical
peroxide which is the most important antibacterial ingredient development, as well as pathogenic fungi such as
in Manuka Honey, and reacts with the amino and sulfhydryl Candida albicans, Aspergillus, Coccidioides, Cryptococcus
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groups of nucleic acids, proteins, and polysaccharides. When neoformans, and others. C. albicans is a common fungus of
bacteria come into contact with this substance, the structure the genus Candida, which usually parasitizes the skin and
of their cell wall breaks down, preventing the formation of mucous membranes, and in severe cases can cause systemic
a barrier to protect the balance of the internal and external infections by entering the bloodstream; Aspergillus can
environments, and leading to an alteration of the ionic invade the lungs of immunocompromised people and
concentration and osmotic pressure, which interferes with grow rapidly, leading to necrotizing pneumonia. Hau-
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the normal survival and proliferation of the bacteria; when Yama et al., tested the inhibitory effect of Melipona
bacteria synthesize nucleic acids, they need the synergy of beecheii honey against C. albicans and found that it
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many enzymes and ATP, and the MGO reacts with amino acids showed inhibition at lower concentrations. Yuan et al.,
within the enzymes, so that the bacteria cannot replicate and compared the antifungal activity of Agastache honey with
transcribe normally. This multi-target inhibitory mechanism other honeys, and found that Agastache honey inhibited
of MGO presents a challenge for bacteria to escape from the fungi better than Manuka honey at lower concentrations,
action through resistance to drugs. which is expected to be an adjunctive treatment for
topical fungal infections. It has been demonstrated that
Manuka honey has been shown to inhibit Staphylococcus unifloral honey showed strong antifungal activity, which
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aureus and methicillin-resistant S. aureus, 42-44 E. coli 43-46 was mainly attributed to the high osmotic environment,
Helicobacter pylori, and P. aeruginosa. The antibacterial low pH environment, hydrogen peroxide, and phenolic
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activity of Tualang honey is comparable to that of Manuka compounds of honey itself, which inhibited the fungus.
honey and studies have shown that Tualang honey inhibits E. Previous studies have demonstrated the isolation of
coli, K. pneumoniae, S. aureus, and Salmonella typhimurium. 47-51 Bacillus velezensis from honey, followed by the purification
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Al-Sayaghi et al. found that Sidr honey and Manuka of a lipopeptide with antifungal properties. This compound
honey interfered with the permeability of E. coli cell was shown to effectively inhibit C. albicans and Aspergillus,
membranes and induced DNA rupture, presumably due to suggesting its potential as a natural antifungal agent. 69

Volume 2 Issue 2 (2025) 6 doi: 10.36922/mi.6592