Deodorising action

Honey rapidly deodorises wounds (McInerney, 1990; Subrahmanyam, 1991; Phuapradit and Saropala, 1992; Efem, 1993; Subrahmanyam, 1993; Hejase et al, 1996; Subrahmanyam, 1996; Dunford et al, 2000a, b; Kingsley, 2001; Alcaraz and Kelly, 2002; Stewart, 2002; Ahmed et al, 2003). On fungating (malignant) wounds where no other treatment could control the malodour, dressing the wound with honey was found to remove the malodour within twenty-four hours (Julie Betts, Waikato Hospital: personal communication). Honey is now being used routinely at Waikato Hospital on fungating wounds, not only for odour control, but also because it reduces the inflammation and level of exudate that is a common problem with this type of wound.

The rapid deodorising of wounds from honey dressings is probably due to more than just antibacterial action. The malodorous substances that bacteria produce in wounds, such as, ammonia, amines and sulphur compounds, are formed from the metabolism of amino acids derived from decomposed serum and tissue proteins. Bacteria metabolise glucose in preference to amino acids, thus, in the presence of honey (composition of 30%–40%), the malododorous compounds are not formed (Nychas et al, 1988).

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