SYDNEY, June 24 (Xinhua) — Researchers have discovered that honey made by native stingless bees possesses distinctive antimicrobial qualities, providing new hope within the battle in opposition to the worldwide risk of antibiotic resistance.
Known regionally as “sugarbag” honey, honey from three species, corresponding to Austroplebeia australis, demonstrates exceptional antimicrobial exercise, even after present process warmth remedy and long-term storage, a trait that would profit industrial medical functions, in response to a launch from the University of Sydney on Monday.
This resilience units it other than honey produced by European honeybees, whose antimicrobial results usually depend on hydrogen peroxide and might diminish over time or with warmth, the discharge stated.
The research discovered that stingless bee honey’s antimicrobial energy depends on each peroxide and non-peroxide mechanisms, remaining efficient even with out hydrogen peroxide — not like manuka honey, whose efficiency relies upon primarily on sure crops.
The research’s lead writer, Kenya Fernandes on the University of Sydney, stated the honey’s constant antimicrobial results throughout areas recommend the bees themselves, not simply the crops, play a key function.
“Antimicrobial exercise is constant throughout all sugarbag samples examined, not like honeybee honey which might range considerably based mostly on seasonal adjustments and floral sources,” stated University of Sydney professor Dee Carter, the research’s co-author.
Traditionally utilized by Indigenous Australians for meals and therapeutic, sugarbag honey is now seen as a promising pure various to artificial antibiotics, stated the research detailed in Applied and Environmental Microbiology, printed by the American Society for Microbiology.
Although every stingless beehive produces solely half a liter of honey per yr, their low upkeep might allow larger-scale manufacturing. With regulatory approval, this honey can now entry high-value markets, and ongoing analysis into its antimicrobial properties provides new promise in opposition to antibiotic resistance, researchers stated.
