L-Mesitran was established in 2002, and since then, we have been promoting the exceptional qualities of Medical Grade Honey (MGH) in the field of wound care. Are you still unfamiliar with MGH? Don’t worry, we have compiled a list of five reasons why we have been utilizing this remarkable product for over two decades.
1. Medical Grade Honey is cost-effective and safe to apply
MGH is cost-effective as it works fast and does not have to be applied as often as other products. This results in a shorter healing trajectory, fewer treatment sessions, and less use of products. Honey used for medical purposes is harvested and processed according to strict guidelines, thereby ensuring safety and efficacy. MGH has been used in pre-term neonates, elderly, and other immunocompromised patients without any adverse effects.
2. Debrides and reduces malodour
The osmotic action of MGH pulls lymph fluid from the circulation underneath the wound bed. This supplies the wound with new proteases to promote autolytic debridement of the wound. Besides this, the osmotic action also washes the wound bed from beneath. Malodour is produced by bacteria as they metabolize amino acids from decomposed serum and tissue proteins. Hereby they produce malodorous compounds such as ammonia. MGH reduces
the malodour via two ways: (I) it kills the bacteria that produce the malodour; (II) its glucose is metabolized by bacteria instead, which produces non-malodourous lactic acid.
3. Wound healing is stimulated thanks to the honey
MGH stimulates wound healing via multiple mechanisms, mainly via maintaining a moist wound environment. This promotes wound healing by preventing dehydration, enhancing the formation of new blood vessels, and speeding epithelialization. Additionally, moist treatment has been shown to result in reduced scar formation and thus improved aesthetics of the wound. MGH also stimulates wound healing by inducing the synthesis of collagen, which occurs during multiple phases in wound healing. Lastly, MGH also provides the injured tissue with a topical supply of nutrients. This is amplified by the nutrients within the lymph fluid that is being drawn from the underlying circulation.
4. MGH has an antibacterial effect (Including MRSA)
MGH exerts antibacterial effects via multiple mechanisms. First, the osmotic pressure due to the high glucose concentration of MGH results in the withdrawal of water from the bacterial cell, thereby killing it. MGH also has an acidic pH, while bacteria grow best at a neutral pH. By applying MGH, the wound’s pH will become more acidic, thereby limiting bacterial growth.
Furthermore, MGH naturally contains glucose oxidase, which is an enzyme that breaks down glucose and produces low amounts of hydrogen peroxide that is antibacterial itself. MGH also naturally contains chemicals derived from plants that have a direct effect on bacteria.
5. Medical Grade Honey has anti-inflammatory components
The anti-inflammatory effects of MGH on wounds have been reported in clinical studies. MGH modulates the inflammatory response by regulating the inflammatory cytokine release of immune cells, decreasing oxidative stress, and overall speeding up the inflammatory process. The phytochemicals in MGH also provide direct anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects.
Conclusion
With over two decades of experience utilizing Medical Grade Honey in wound care, L-Mesitran will continue to promote
this remarkable product and continue its efforts to spread awareness about its exceptional properties.
Discussion on effects of Medical-Grade Honey
Abdominal wounds of this kind are hard to close with sutures, the tensile strength on the abdomen is high and can cause the sutures to break (Magee, 1999), especially when an infection with MRSA keeps producing high amounts of exudate.
Healing per secundam is then the only option, although the biggest risk is (further) wound infection (Hanson, 2008).
In this case the antibacterial honey ointment (Brander, 2011) eradicated the MRSA quickly and allowed the granulation and epithelisation to progress to full wound healing in only 4 months time. The use of honey based ointments can, in the event of large trauma, be beneficial to reduce or irradicate infection (such as MRSA) and stimulate wound healing per secundam.
