Tratamiento De Heridas Con Miel

Vol. 24, No. 1 January 2002

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Article #4 (1.5 contact hours)
Refereed Peer Review

Wound Management Using Honey*
KEY FACTS
I Antibiotics are not required when treating wounds with honey due to its bactericidal effect of hydrogen peroxide liberation and a phytochemical constituent, which enhancessterilization. I When used as a topical dressing, honey decreases inflammatory edema, accelerates sloughing of devitalized tissue, and nourishes the wound; these factors contribute to enhanced granulation and epithelialization. University of Guelph Ontario, Canada

Karol A. Mathews, DVM, DVSc Allen G. Binnington, DVM, MSc
ABSTRACT: Large, contaminated wounds are difficult and expensive to treat.Honey contains many nutrients and minerals and has a bactericidal effect due to hydrogen peroxide liberation and a phytochemical constituent. The use of honey in the management of wounds enhances healing and eliminates invading bacteria without the use of systemic antibiotics. Honey also decreases inflammatory edema. Thus the use of honey can be an effective and economical approach to managing largewounds.

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ontaminated wounds, especially large wounds (e.g., major degloving injuries, burns), and conditions such as necrotizing fasciitis acquired through infections with Pseudomonas species, Escherichia coli, or streptococci, can be difficult and expensive to treat using conventional methods. As a result, owners whose pets have extensive wounds often opt to have the affected limb amputatedor the animal euthanized. Honey has been shown to be effective against the growth of bacteria, and its use enhances wound healing. Thus it is an inexpensive topical treatment that is extremely effective in wound management and its use makes management of large, open wounds financially feasible.

HISTORY OF THE USE OF HONEY IN WOUND CARE The use of honey to treat wounds dates back to 2000 BC.1Numerous reports document the efficacy of honey in wound healing, and several studies even indicate that honey appears to be superior to many modern methods of treatment.2–26 Honey has been used for cleansing and accelerating the healing of wounds for centuries; however, the scientific basis for its success was not elucidated until the twentieth century. Honey is currently used worldwide to treathuman patients with contaminated wounds or infected body cavities. The use of honey to treat wounds on animals has been slow to come into acceptance. HEALING PROPERTIES OF HONEY Mechanisms associated with wound cleansing and healing properties of honey include decreased inflammatory edema, attraction of macrophages to further cleanse the wound, accelerated sloughing of devitalized tissue, provisionof a local cellular energy source, and formation of a protective layer of protein over the wound and a healthy granulation bed. 27 Honey also has a deodorizing
*A companion article entitled “Wound Management Using Sugar” appears on page 41.

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Compendium January 2002

action; this may be due to its rich supply of glucose, which would be used by the infectingbacteria in preference to amino acids, resulting in the production of lactic acid instead of malodorous compounds.6 The cleansing and healing properties of honey are not widely known in veterinary medicine. Honey also has antibacterial properties that have been attributed to its high osmolarity, acidity, and hydrogen peroxide (H 2O 2) content. 2 The effects of osmolarity in contaminated wounds is basedon the low water content (or high osmolality) created in the wound.28 As the high osmolarity of honey draws lymph from a wound, dissolved nutrients within the lymph provide nutrition for regenerating tissue.6,a The antibacterial factor inhibine has been isolated from honey produced from several different plant sources.3 Inhibine, which was determined to be H2O2, is produced by the natural glucose...