Topical application of honey: An alternative way of treating wounds in veterinary medicine?

Abstract

Honey is essentially a concentrated sugar solution, containing mainly fructose and glucose, but also maltose, sucrose, phenolic acids, enzymes such as glucose oxidase, catalase and peroxidase, vitamins and minerals. It has antibacterial effects, contains antioxidants, decreases inflammatory edema, stimulates the immune response, stimulates the neovascularisation and the multiplication of fibroblasts and epithelial cells, reduces the need for surgical debridement, clears of foul odour, increases the flow of lymph and forms an energy source for epithelial cells in a wound area. Honey has antibacterial activity due to the production of hydrogen peroxide after dilution with water, its high osmolarity, acidity and phytochemical compounds. Besides these direct antibacterial effects, honey applied to a wound forms a viscous, protective and physical barrier against invading pathogens. Interesting side qualities of honey are: a diminishing effect on tumor implantation and prevention of peritoneal adhesions. In veterinary medicine honey, in it's different constitutional forms, makes a good non-antibiotic alternative for products currently used in wound therapy. Honey or honey based products can be applied to grazes, abrasions and erosions in the inflammatory and debridement phase: the inflammatory response is supported and debridement accelerated. Granulation tissue can then form more rapidly and epithelization of the tissue is promoted. It is also a good opportunity for treating a acute or chronic dermatitis. In older wounds that are difficult to manage with conventional therapy like bum wounds or infected surgical wounds honey is also effective, as it has a debriding, antibacterial and immune response stimulating effect, initiating the wound healing process.