In vitro anti-staphylococcal activity of honey and two standard antibiotics (cloxacillin and ampicillin)

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Infectious Diseases
• Natural Product Research

Background:

• Bacterial infections caused by Staphylococcus species pose significant public health challenges.
• Antibiotic resistance necessitates the exploration of alternative therapeutic agents.
• Honey has historical and anecdotal evidence of medicinal properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the in vitro antibacterial efficacy of honey against clinical isolates of Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus albus.
• To compare the antibacterial activity of honey with standard antibiotics, cloxacillin and ampicillin.

Main Methods:

• Agar-cup diffusion sensitivity testing was employed.
• Fifty bacterial isolates from six pathological sources were tested against undiluted honey, honey dilutions (1:2 to 1:10), cloxacillin (5 mg/ml), and ampicillin (10 mg/ml).

Main Results:

• Undiluted honey exhibited antibacterial activity against nearly 100% of the tested bacterial isolates.
• Fractional dilutions of honey (1:2 to 1:10) retained antibacterial properties, with activity decreasing proportionally to dilution.
• Honey demonstrated superior antibacterial activity compared to both cloxacillin and ampicillin.

Conclusions:

• Honey possesses significant in vitro antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus albus.
• The findings support the potential therapeutic application of honey in treating staphylococcal infections, pending clinical trials.
• Honey represents a promising natural alternative or adjunct therapy for bacterial infections.