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Published on: April 25, 2025
In-vitro susceptibility of methicillin-resistant Stayphylococcus aureus to honey
Muhammad Barkaat Hussain1, Abdul Hannan2, Muhammad Absar3
1Department of Microbiology, Faculty of Medicine, King Abdul Aziz University, Rabigh Branch, 21589, Saudi Arabia.
Abstract:
Wound infections caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is becoming much complicated and costly to treat as antimicrobial resistance is quite common. Twenty five MRSA strains isolated from infected wounds and three ATCC reference strains were evaluated for their susceptibility to locally produced black seed (Nigella sativa), beri (ZiziphusJujuba) and shain honey (Plectranthus rugosus wall) by agar incorporation assay. Medically graded manuka honey (UMF 21+) was included as control. Locally produced black seed honey inhibited all clinical isolates at mean MIC of 5.5% (v/v), whereas manuka honey at mean MIC of 4.4% (v/v). The other two locally produced honey; beri and shain honey inhibited these isolates at 6.4% and 10.4% (v/v) respectively. The result of the study has demonstrated that indigenous black seed honey has comparable antibacterial activity to manuka honey and thus offers a good new addition to the existing honey resource for the treatment of wound infections.
Insights
Indigenous black seed honey shows significant antibacterial activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) wound infections. This natural remedy offers a promising alternative to conventional treatments, comparable to medical-grade manuka honey.
Area of Science:
- Microbiology
- Pharmacology
- Ethnobotany
Background:
- Antimicrobial resistance in Staphylococcus aureus, particularly methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), presents a significant global health challenge.
- The increasing prevalence of drug-resistant bacteria necessitates the exploration of alternative therapeutic agents for wound infections.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the in vitro antibacterial efficacy of indigenous honeys against clinical isolates of MRSA.
- To compare the activity of local honeys with a medically graded manuka honey control.
Main Methods:
- Agar incorporation assay was used to determine the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of black seed (Nigella sativa), beri (Ziziphus Jujuba), and shain (Plectranthus rugosus wall) honeys.
- Twenty-five clinical MRSA strains and three ATCC reference strains were tested.
Main Results:
- Locally produced black seed honey demonstrated significant inhibition of all MRSA isolates with a mean MIC of 5.5% (v/v).
- Manuka honey (UMF 21+) showed a mean MIC of 4.4% (v/v).
- Beri and shain honeys exhibited inhibitory activity at 6.4% and 10.4% (v/v) respectively.
Conclusions:
- Indigenous black seed honey possesses comparable antibacterial activity to medical-grade manuka honey against MRSA.
- Black seed honey represents a valuable natural resource for developing new treatments for MRSA-associated wound infections.
