Treat cuts and scrapes with honey-filled new product

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An age-old treatment for burns, scrapes, and cuts now comes in a formulation approved by the US's Food and Drug Administration. MediHoney will be available as an over-the-counter ointment and packaged in pre-treated bandages.

Announced August 1, MediHoney will also be available in prescription formulations for more serious wounds. Prices and exact release date are not yet available, but consumers in the US can expect to see the product by next spring, according to the release.

MediHoney contains manuka honey, derived from honeybees in New Zealand. In recent studies, the honey has been found to interfere with the growth of three types of stubborn bacteria commonly found in infected wounds. Also researchers have revealed that when the honey is applied to a wound along with antibiotics, it can help make superbugs more sensitive to the drugs.

Honey has long been known for its antimicrobial properties, with traditional honey remedies being used topically on wounds for centuries. However, modern medicine has only recently begun tapping into its potential.

In other research, Australian researchers from the University of Sydney reported on honey's potential to fight superbugs in 2009, suggesting that honey-based products could replace antibiotic creams on wounds and even some hospital equipment.

For consumers interested in the healing power of honey, other wound-care products such as Honey Mark and Dr. Norkdyke's Wound Honey antiseptic creams and lotions contain a specially filtered version of manuka honey to fight infection.

http://www.dermasciences.com/products/advanced-wound-care/medihoney/outside-the-u-s