Best Manuka Honey – New Zealand

Tag: bronchiectasis

  • Manuka Honey Calories: A Potential Treatment for Lung Infections

    Manuka Honey Calories: A Potential Treatment for Lung Infections

    Table of Contents

    Manuka Honey Calories: a Potential Treatment for Lung Infections

    Introduction

    In the treatment of severe lung infections, such as those found in individuals with cystic fibrosis or bronchiectasis, the use of antibiotics can often lead to drug resistance and serious side effects. However, a new study has found that combining the traditional drug amikacin with manuka honey can potentially reduce the dosage of the drug and improve treatment outcomes. This article discusses the findings of the study and highlights the potential benefits of this combination therapy.

    The Problem with Current Treatment Methods

    Treating infections in individuals with cystic fibrosis and bronchiectasis can be challenging due to drug resistance. The antibiotics used to combat these infections often come with severe side effects. Additionally, having a lung infection can prevent individuals from being eligible for a lung transplant, which can be fatal in some cases. Therefore, there is a need for better treatment outcomes for individuals with these pulmonary infections.

    Combining Amikacin and Manuka Honey

    Researchers in a recent study combined the drug amikacin with manuka honey to determine if this combination therapy could improve treatment outcomes. By using a lab-based lung model and a nebulizer, the combination of manuka honey and amikacin was administered through a fine spray of liquid. The researchers found that even with smaller dosages of amikacin, this combination improved bacterial clearance. This is a significant finding as it suggests that the use of manuka honey can potentially reduce the dosage of amikacin required for effective treatment.

    The Potential Benefits of the Combination Therapy

    The use of manuka honey in combination with amikacin could have significant benefits for individuals with pulmonary infections. One of the main advantages of this combination therapy is the potential to reduce the occurrence of amikacin-associated hearing loss. Amikacin is known to be a toxic drug, and reducing the dosage required for treatment can greatly improve the quality of life for individuals with cystic fibrosis. Additionally, the use of manuka honey in this therapy shows promise as a more natural and potentially less harmful alternative to traditional antibiotic treatments.

    Future Research and Testing

    While this study has shown promising results, further research is necessary to fully understand the potential of the combination therapy. The researchers hope that this treatment can be tested further in future studies to determine its effectiveness and safety. If proven to be successful, this therapy could revolutionize the treatment of pulmonary infections, offering a more effective and less harmful alternative to current treatment methods.

    Conclusion

    In conclusion, the combination of amikacin and manuka honey shows great promise as a potential treatment for pulmonary infections in individuals with cystic fibrosis and bronchiectasis. By reducing the dosage of amikacin required for effective treatment, this combination therapy can potentially improve treatment outcomes and reduce the occurrence of severe side effects. Further research and testing are necessary to validate these findings and determine the long-term effectiveness and safety of this therapy. Nevertheless, this study offers hope for individuals with pulmonary infections and opens new avenues for the development of more effective and less harmful treatment options.

    Source: https://aboutmanukahoney.com

  • Manuka Honey and Amikacin Combo Shows Promise in Treating Drug-Resistant Lung Infections

    Manuka Honey and Amikacin Combo Shows Promise in Treating Drug-Resistant Lung Infections

    Table of Contents

    Introduction

    A potential new treatment combining natural manuka honey with a widely used drug has been developed by scientists at Aston University to treat a potentially lethal lung infection and greatly reduce side effects of one of the current drugs used for its treatment.

    Manuka Honey: A Potent Medicinal Ingredient

    Manuka honey is long known to have wide-ranging medicinal properties, but more recently has been identified for its broad spectrum antimicrobial activity. Now scientists have found that manuka honey has the potential to kill a number of drug-resistant bacterial infections such as — which usually affects patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) or bronchiectasis.

    Cystic Fibrosis and Bronchiectasis: A Closer Look at the Conditions

    According to the Cystic Fibrosis Trust, CF is a genetic condition affecting around 10,800 people — one in every 2,500 babies born in the UK – and there are more than 100,000 people with the condition worldwide. The NHS defines bronchiectasis as a long-term condition where the airways of the lungs become widened, leading to a build-up of excess mucus that can make the lungs more vulnerable to infection.

    The Study: Combining Manuka Honey and Antibiotics

    In the study, the researchers used samples of the bacteria taken from 16 infected CF patients. They then tested the antibiotic amikacin, combined with manuka honey, to discover what dosage was required to kill the bacteria. As part of the study, the team used a lab-based lung model and nebulizer – a device that produces a fine spray of liquid often used for inhaling a medicinal drug.

    By nebulizing manuka honey and amikacin together, it was found they could improve bacterial clearance, even when using lower doses of amikacin, which would result in fewer life-changing side effects to the patient.

    The Results: Promising Treatment for CF Patients

    In the UK, mycobacterium abscessus complex (MABSC), infects 13% of all patients with CF. This new approach is advantageous not only because it has the potential to kill off a highly drug-resistant infection but because of the reduced side effects, benefiting quality of life and greatly improving survival chances for infected CF patients.

    MABSC is a bacterial pathogen from the same family that causes tuberculosis, but this bug differs by causing serious lung infections in people (particularly children) with pre-existing lung conditions, such as CF and bronchiectasis, as well as causing skin and soft tissue infections. The bacteria is also highly drug-resistant. Currently, patients are given a cocktail of antibiotics, consisting of 12 months or more of antimicrobial chemotherapy and often doesn’t result in a cure.

    The dosage of amikacin usually used on a patient to kill the infection is 16 micrograms per milliliter. But the researchers found that the new combination using manuka honey required a dosage of just 2 micrograms per millimeter of amikacin – resulting in an one eighth reduction in the dosage of the drug.

    Until now, MABSC has been virtually impossible to eradicate in people with cystic fibrosis. It can also be deadly if the patient requires a lung transplant because they are not eligible for surgery if the infection is present.

    Researcher’s Insights: Implications and Future Studies

    Commenting on their findings, lead author and PhD researcher Victoria Nolan said: “So far treatment of pulmonary infections can be problematic due to its drug-resistant nature. The variety of antibiotics required to combat infection results in severe side effects.

    “However, the use of this potential treatment combining amikacin and manuka honey shows great promise as an improved therapy for these terrible pulmonary infections.

    “There is a need for better treatment outcomes and in the future, we hope that this potential treatment can be tested further.”

    Dr. Jonathan Cox, senior lecturer in microbiology, Aston University said: “By combining a totally natural ingredient such as manuka honey with amikacin, one of the most important yet toxic drugs used for treating , we have found a way to potentially kill off these bacteria with eight times less drug than before. This has the potential to significantly reduce amikacin-associated hearing loss and greatly improve the quality of life of so many patients – particularly those with cystic fibrosis.

    “I am delighted with the outcome of this research because it paves the way for future experiments and we hope that with funding we can move towards clinical trials that could result in a change in strategy for the treatment of this debilitating infection.”

    Dr. Peter Cotgreave, chief executive of the Microbiology Society said: “The Microbiology Society is proud to support the scientific community as it explores innovative solutions to overcome the growing global challenge of antimicrobial resistance. This study demonstrates one of many ways in which microbiologists are pioneering new methods to tackle drug-resistant infections, by incorporating natural products, like manuka honey, into existing therapies.”

    Conclusion

    The combination of manuka honey and the drug amikacin has shown promising results in combating drug-resistant bacterial lung infections in patients with cystic fibrosis and bronchiectasis. The use of manuka honey has the potential to greatly reduce the dosage of amikacin, resulting in fewer side effects and improved quality of life for patients. This innovative treatment approach paves the way for further studies and potential clinical trials that could revolutionize the treatment of these debilitating infections.