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Honey can be Used as Antibiotic

by Kathy Jones on Jul 1 2010 9:37 PM

 Honey can be Used as Antibiotic
New research by the Department of Medical Microbiology at the Academic Medical Center in Amsterdam shows that a protein in honey can actually kill superbugs.
"We have completely elucidated the molecular basis of the antibacterial activity of a single medical-grade honey, which contributes to the applicability of honey in medicine," said co-researcher Sebastian A.J. Zaat. "Honey or isolated honey-derived components might be of great value for prevention and treatment of infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria."

The protein canned defensin-1 is made by bees and can help ward off bacteria. Defensin-1 is a protein made by the honey bees immune system and is added by the bees when honey is made. Most of honey’s anti-bacterial properties can be attributed to this protein.

The details of the study appear in the FASEB journal.




Source-Medindia


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