How does it work

All honey is hostile to bacteria because it has a low pH and high sugar content, Cardetti said.

Honey may be a strong candidate in the medical field because an increase number of bacteria has shown resistance to antibiotics.

"All honey will work, but some will work better than others," Molan said. "It stops any bacteria from growing and it never fails to clear an infection."

Honey varies in flavour, colour - and medicinal properties - based on the kind of flowers the bees visit," he said.

"You go back 2,000 years and Greek physicians knew a few kinds of honey worked very well, based on colour and season. That knowledge has been lost today. Most current research about honey is using honey from the supermarket jar," Molan said.

Molan found that while all honey produced in New Zealand and Australia killed bacteria when put on a wound, some honey types were stronger-acting antibacterials.

Honey has been approved as a medicine by Australia 's Therapeutic Goods Administration, Molan said, the Australian equivalent of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

"Unlike many drugs on the market, honey has had thousands of years of product safety testing, and much of it has been done on humans," Molan said.

"Medihoney," a "high-potency antibacterial" made of 100 percent honey, is being packaged in a squeezable tube for sale on Australian supermarket shelves, he said.

Molan is also conducting clinical trials at New Zealand hospitals. The initial results of using bandages soaked with honey have been so good that nurses who weren't in the study continually stole bandages for use on their own patients, he said...............

The above articles have been reproduced from the website of the National Honey Board for the education and information of readers.