View Question

Manuka Honey For MRSA

by rmtran - March 11, 2010

Hi Steve,

I was just asked by our internist about Manka Honey. One of her patient with MRSA was completely cured with this product called Manuka Honey (topical and oral use). I knew of honey as a anti-bacterial, but not much more.

In TCM, some herbal formula is prepared with honey (e.g. Zhi Gan Cao Tang), but it does not appear any contains honey as its ingredients.

My questions:

1. Has anyone had a good success using Manuka honey or other honey product in MRSA?

2. In TCM, how could I approach MRSA case other than treating its pattern? Is Zi Cao paste or Ru Yi Jin Huang San helpful topically?

3. What is the nature of honey in TCM? I tried to look up on my resources in vein. I assume that it has tonifying effect, as well as warming...

There are more MRSA cases seen at the referral practice, and they would like to use something simple like Manuka Honey or other topical herbal formula instead of sending them for holistic consultation.

Thank you,

Rieko

by naturevet

March 11, 2010

Hi Rieko,

We'll see if anyone else responds here, but Manuka Honey is honey from bees that have exclusively been pollinating tea tree plants. So I would presume some added broad spectrum antimicrobial activity beyond regular honey. Regular honey kills through osmosis, I believe, with the dense concentration of sugar molecules drawing moisture out of bacteria through their cell walls.

In Chinese medicine, honey was used to bind pills together, but also conferred added Qi tonifying properties to whatever was stir-fried in it (chiefly licourice). This modification of licourice then had Heart Qi tonifying properties, rather than the usual Stomach Qi properties. So honey may have a particular affinity for the heart, as did other 'sweet' substances like wheat and jujube.

Hope that helps,

Steve

by rmtran

March 11, 2010

Hi Steve,

Thanks for the info!

Rieko

You must be logged in to reply

CuredCases.com