Antistaphylococcal activity of Omani honey in combination with bovine milk

British Journal of Biomedical Science, 2005 by Al-Jabri, A A, Hosni, S A Al, Nzeako, B, Nsanze, H

Although the exact mechanisms by which honey in combination with milk acts against S. aureus remains unclear, it is possible that honey releases some of the biogenic peptides in milk that have an antimicrobial effect. Clearly, this enhanced effect is important and is an area that requires more research.17-19 Future work will involve repeat experiments using different strains of bacteria. D

This study was supported by a grant (MREC:128) from the College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, Oman.

References

1 Molan PC. The antibacterial activity of honey. J Bee World 1992; 73: 131-5.

2 Lusby PE, Coombes A, Wilkinson JM. Honey: a potent agent for wound healing? J Wound Ostomy Continence Nurs 2002; 29: 295-300.

3 Allen KL, Molan PC, Reid GM. A survey of the antibacterial activity of some New Zealand honeys. J Pharm Pharmacol 1991; 43: 817-22.

4 Effem SE. Clinical observations on the wound healing properties of honey. Br J Surg 1998; 75: 697-81.

5 Cooper R, Molan P. The use of honey as an antiseptic in managing Pseudomonas infection. J Wound Care 1999; 8: 161-4.

6 Nzeako BC, Hamdi J. Antimicrobial potential of honey on some microbial isolates. Sultan Qaboos University Journal of Medical Sciences 2000; 2: 75-9.

7 Effem SE, Udoh KT, Iwara CI. The antimicrobial spectrum of honey and its clinical significance. Infection 1992; 20: 227-9.

8 Meisel H. Bioactive peptides from milk proteins: a perspective for consumers and producers. Aust J Dairy Technol 2001; 56: 83-91.

9 Minervini F, Algaron F, Rizzello CG, Fox PF, Monnet V, Gobbetti M. Angiotensin I-converting-enzyme-inhibitory and antibacterial peptides from Lactobacillus helveticus PR4 proteinase-hydrolyzed caseins of milk from six species. Appl Environ Microbiol 2003; 69: 5297-305.

10 Klain U, Massimo L. Clinical findings on the importance of milk and honey in infant nutrition. Minerva Pediatr 1969; 21: 1821-5.

11 Garanis-Papadatos T, Katsas A. The milk and the honey: ethics of artificial nutrition and hydration of the elderly on the other side of Europe. J Med Ethics 1999; 25: 447-50.

12 Al-Jabri AA, Nzeako B, Al Mahrooqi Z, Al Naqdy A, Nsanze H. In vitro antibacterial activity of Omani and African honey. Br J Biomed Sci 2003; 60: 1-4.

13 Oka H, Ihai Y, Kawamura N et al. Improvement of chemical analysis of antibiotics: simultaneous analysis of seven tetracyclines in honey. J Chromotogr 1987; 400: 253-61.

14 White JW, Subers MJ, Scheparto AI. The identification of inhibine, the antibacterial factor in honey, as hydrogen peroxidase and its origin in a honey glucose oxidase system. Biochem Biophys Acta 1963; 73: 57-70.

15 Wahdan HA. Causes of the antimicrobial activity of honey. Infection 1988; 26: 26-31.

16 Florisa R, Recio I, Berkhout B, Visser S. Antibacterial and antiviral effects of milk proteins and derivatives thereof. Curr Pharm Des 2003; 9: 1257-75.

17 Gobbetti M, Stepaniak L, De Angelis M, Corsetti A, Di Cagno R. Latent bioactive peptides in milk proteins: proteolytic activation and significance in dairy processing. Crit Rev Food Sci Nutr 2002; 42: 223-39.