Bee Products Pure 'Active' Manuka Honey
Bee Products Pure 'Active' Manuka honey is sourced from clean green New Zealand where it is harvested from a chemical and pollution free environment.
Bee Products Manuka Honey has an Active UMF of 10+ however the UMF testing of this product is random to keep costs down to the end-consumer therefor cannot bear a UMF label. Each and every batch is guaranteed UMF 10+ and often is as high as UMF 16+.
Please don't confuse this product with a similar inexpensive supermarket line that is a blended honey containing minimal quantities of Manuka and therefor of little benefit for its healing qualities and is designed for its flavour quality only.
Manuka honey is from bees who feed on the flowers of the Manuka bush also known as the "Tea Tree" to produce a honey that has anti-bacterial properties. Tea Tree is commonly from the related Melaleuca tree native to Australia and is used as a topical antibiotic and anti-fungal for wounds that fail to close.
Acidity
The pH of undiluted honey (3.2 - 4.5) is low enough to slow down or prevent the growth of many species of bacteria which require and optimum pH of 7.2 - 7.4 for growth but this acidity may be neutralised if the honey is diluted with buffering solutions of body fluids.
Minimum pH for the growth of common wound infecting organisms are:
E.Coli 4.3
Salmonella species 4.0
Psedomoas aeruginosa 4.4
Streptococcus pyogenes 4.5
Honey which is diluted by body fluids has significantly reduced antibacterial activity.
Osmalarity
The high sugar content of honey makes the water unavailable for micro-organisms: no bacteria or fungi can grow in full ripened honey but the more diluted honey becomes the more species can grow in it.
Hydrogen Peroxide
The glucose oxidase enzyme (secreted by the hypopharyngeal gland of the bee into the nectar to assist in the formation of Honey) activated by dilution of honey generates hydrogen peroxide which preserves the honey during the ripening process.
This hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) generally is the major antibacterial factor in honey. This enzyme is inactivated by heating honey and by exposure to light in some honey's which contain a sensitising factor. Some honeys also contain substances which destroy the hydrogen peroxide generated by the enzyme.
Full-strength honey has negligible hydrogen peroxide which is catalysed into O2 and H2O by Vitamin C and transition metal ions in honey.
Phytochemical Factors
H2O2 does not account for all of the observed antibacterial activity.
Reports of isolation of other non-hydrogen peroxide antibacterial substances.
When heating honey it loses its antibacterial activity against some bacteria but retains it against others (inactivates glucose oxidase and hydrogen peroxide production).
Honey's treated with catalase to totally remove H2O2 show existence of non-peroxide antibacterial activity.
'Active Manuka honey' is the only honey in the World that we know of that is being tested for its antibacterial activity. Only highly active honey is being selected for sakes as Bee Products Manuka Honey.
The hydrogen peroxide in honey is produced by an enzyme in the honey. This enzyme is destroyed by the exposure of honey to heat and light. Other non-peroxide activity (UMF) is very stable so there is no need to worry about whether the age of the honey you are using has lost its activity in storage if you use active Manuka honey.
Manuka honey has UMF in addition to the usual hydrogen peroxide antibacterial activity making it doubly potent. There is also evidence that the two antibacterial components together have a synergistic action i.e. their combined effect is greater than the sum of two.
Other Components
Honey's from some floral sources contain various antibacterial substances presumably produced by certain species of plants which in some cases can account for a large part of the antibacterial activity of honey.
When honey is used as an antimicrobial agent it is crucial that it is selected from honey's that have been laboratory tested for antimicrobial activity.
There are about 50 reports in medical journals that honey is general is a very effective dressing for wounds and an effective therapy for eye infections and for diarrhoea.
It is well established that honey has an antibacterial activity but this can vary widely in potency; some honey's are no more antibacterial than sugar is whereas others can be diluted more than 100-fold and still completely stop the growth of bacteria.
Monofloral honey is a type of honey which has a high value in the marketplace because it has a distinctive flavor or other attribute due to its being predominantly from the nectar of one plant species. While all honeys have some medicinal value active Manuka honey containing the Unique Manuka Factor (UMF) has been shown to have higher antibacterial activity than other tested honeys.
While there may never be an absolute monofloral type some honeys are relatively pure due to the prodigious nectar production of a particular species such as citrus (Orange blossom honey) or there may be little else in bloom at the time.
Beekeepers learn the predominant nectar sources of their region and often plan harvests to keep especially fine ones separate. Monofloral honeys are also kept in separate tanks and labeled separately so as to command a premium price.
What it's Good For - Internal Use:
Stomach Ulcers http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stomach_ulcers
Dr Peter Molan Professor of Biochemistry at New Zealand's Universty of Waikitio Honey Research Unit is a pioneer in the field of honey exploration. He was the first to discover the non-hydrogen peroxide and antibacterial component of Manuka honey plus he has led preliminary research trials which show how effective this component is in treating Heliobacter pylori the bacteria that cause stomach ulcers.
Digestive Disorders Dr Molan's research points to Manuka's huge potential in the treatment of a wide range of gastrointestinal disorders notable bacterial diarrhoea (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diarrhoea ) because it is not only antibacterial but also a rehydration agent.
What it's Good For - External Use:
Skin Infections UMF Active Manuka honey (What is UMF) has been proven effective in destroying many bacterial micro-organisims that infect wounds including all strains of the antibiotic-resistant methicillin-resistant bacteria Stahylococcus aureus (MRSA) also know as 'Golden Staph' http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golden_staph. This is notoriously difficult to eradicate with conventional antibiotics so Manuka may hold the key to controlling this problem in our hospitals. In addition UMF Manuka honey is twice as effective as other honeys against Escherichia coli (E.Coli) another common cause of wound infection. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/E.coli
Wound Healing Manuka performs multiple roles: It controls inflammation reduces wound odour minimises scarring sloughs off necrotic (dead) tissue and encourages new tissue growth and also makes the changes of patient dressings far less painful.
How to use Manuka Honey
The Honey Research Unit suggests that a typical external application of Manuka honey would be 20ml (35-30gm) of honey placed on a 10 x 10cm dressing. The deeper the wound the more honey will be required to provide sufficient antibacterial action. Leakage may be minimised with additional waterproof or absorbent dressings; dressings may be changed 1-3 times daily.
An internal dosage recommendation will depend upon the strength of the honey being used as well as the condition being treated and its severity. As a general guideline 1-2 teaspoons (5-10gms) up to 3 times daily 30 minutes prior to meals is suggested to support digestive health. Taking the honey on a piece of bread allows it to remain in the gut for longer therefor maximising its healing benefits.
Note: Please don't heat the honey or add to a hot drink as you will potentially 'kill' the beneficial activity of the honey.
Precautions
If you are a diabetic or have a known or suspected allergy to bee products please seek medical advice.
Future Potential of Manuka Honey
Manuka's therapeutic values continue to unfold; for example:
Food Preservation Manuka's antioxidant content means it has the potential as a natural food preservative.
Dental Health A 2004 study revealed that Manuka Honey UMF15 reduced dental plaque and clinical levels of gingivitis.
Fungal Infections It is also showing promise in treating respiratory infections especially against non-bacterial organisms like fungi and protozoa.
Streptococcus Pyogenes http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Strep_throat In research that has been undertaken by Dr. Molan it is being seen to be significantly effective against the Streptococcus Pyogenes which cause sore throats.
