Manuka Magic
It’s no secret that one of the most important parts of HoneyCure is, well, the honey! At EnBiologics, we exclusively use high-grade Manuka honey for our products, but when we’re out at events a lot of people ask, what makes the honey we use so special? The magic is in the Manuka.
So, first things first, let’s make it clear where this stuff comes from. Manuka honey is honey derived from European bees foraging on the Manuka bush (or the Leptospermum scoparium), found in New Zealand and Australia. Once the bees harvest the pollen, the honey is measured for what’s referred to as its “Unique Manuka Factor”, or UMF, and graded on a scale to signify the honey’s quality. Honey with a UMF of 10 or greater is considered to be medical grade. In HoneyCure, we use UMF 15+ Manuka honey.
Now, what makes Manuka honey so special is its unique antimicrobial properties. All honeys are at least slightly antimicrobial because they contain peroxidase. This peroxidase mediates the creation of peroxide and the peroxide does its work against the bacteria. Unfortunately, because most of these honeys work by dehydrating the bacteria, they struggle to maintain their antibacterial activity in a moist environment like a fresh wound. Medical grade honeys however, maintain their antibacterial qualities even in low concentrations, allowing them to function even in an inhospitable environment full of diluting factors, like the bodily fluids present in a wound.
Manuka honey is different because Manuka honey doesn’t produce very much peroxide. In fact, Manuka honey produces a completely unique compound, called methylglyoxal (usually shortened to MGO). Whereas peroxide works by dehydrating the bacteria (and all the cells in the region), MGO affects microbes on a structural level, preventing the microbial cells from dividing and basically stopping any potential infection in its tracks. When bacteria invades an area, it reproduces and creates what’s called a biofilm. The spread of this biofilm is a common source of bacterial infections. The bacteria create the biofilm to give themselves a stable environment in which to continue to grow and divide, making it more and more difficult for the immune system to fight against the spreading infection. The MGO in Manuka honey acts against these biofilms, breaking them down and making the bacteria vulnerable to the other antibacterial properties of the honey.
The really impressive aspect of the Manuka is that the MGO does this without dehydrating the area. This, combined with the osmotic environment created by the honey, makes for a perfect environment for a wound to heal.
As though that unique synergy between the MGO and the honey wasn’t enough reason to treat Manuka honey as a medicinal, methylglyoxal has also been shown to be effective against antibiotic-resistant bacteria. It’s a natural antimicrobial agent that’s been proven to stop infection in its tracks, even where some antibiotics would fail.
HoneyCure was formulated to harness the power of that Unique Manuka Factor in Manuka honey and blended with essential oils to make a topical wound treatment. Our formula doubles down on the ideal healing environment created by the honey and lets the MGO do its work. It’s the MGO that keeps infection at bay, but without the moist, osmotic environment created by the honey, Manuka honey wouldn’t be nearly as effective in promoting, faster, healthier healing.
Manuka honey is a naturally-occurring perfect storm in antimicrobial treatment. The action of the MGO and the healing habitat created by the honey create a one-two punch that knocks out infection and helps wounds heal up faster, healthier, and with minimal scarring.
[06/12/23]: Updated copy for clarification.