Manuka honey may help clear deadly drug-resistant lung infections

Scientists at Aston University have developed a potential new therapy that combines natural Manuka honey with a widely used drug to treat a potentially fatal lung infection and drastically reduce the side effects

The findings were published in Microbiology

Manuka honey has long been thought to have a wide range of medicinal properties, but has recently been identified as its broad-spectrum antibacterial activity

CF is a genetic disease that affects around 10,800 people – in the UK, one in every 2,500 newborns has the disease and more than 100,000 people worldwide

For the study, the researchers used a bacterial sample of Mycobacterium abscesses from 16 CF-infected patients

As part of the study, the team used a lab-based lung model and a nebulizer — a device that produces a fine spray of liquids, often used to aspirate drugs

In the UK, there are 10,800 CF patients, and 13% of patients with Mycobacterium abscesses are infected with the disease

Mycobacterium abscess is a bacterial pathogen that belongs to the same family as the pathogen that causes tuberculosis, but the difference between this bacterium is that it can cause severe lung infections in people (especially children) who have pre-existing lung diseases such as CF and bronchiectasis, as well as skin and soft tissue infections

Currently, patients are receiving cocktail therapy for antibiotics, including antimicrobial chemotherapy for 12 months or more, which is often incurable

Until now cystic fibrosis caused by Mycobacterium abscess was almost impossible to eradicate

Commenting on their findings, lead author and PhD researcher Victoria Nolan said:

Treatments to date for Mycobacterium abscess lung infections may cause problems

"However, this potential treatment combining amikacin and manuka honey shows great promise that it could improve the treatment of these terrible lung infections

In vitro synergy between manuka honey and amikacin against Mycobacteria abscessus complex shows potential for nebulisation therapy