Anti-inflammatory action

Clinical observations of reduced inflammation following application of honey to a wound are substantiated by the results of in vivo studies that have shown that honey, when compared to various controls, reduces inflammation. Histological evidence of reduced numbers of inflammatory cells present in wounds dressed with honey exists from studies of deep (Postmes et al, 1997) and superficial burns, as well as full-thickness wounds. These effects were due to components other than the sugar in honey (Postmes et al, 1997). Evidence also has come from similar findings in biopsy samples from burn wound tissue of hospital patients (Subrahmanyam, 1998). Although it is a vital part of the normal response to infection or injury, excessive or prolonged inflammation can prevent healing or even cause further damage to tissues (Agren et al, 2000). Suppressing inflammation, as well as reducing pain for the patient, reduces the opening of blood vessels, thus reducing oedema and exudate. Pressure in tissues secondary to oedema restricts the flow of blood through the capillaries, starving the tissues of the oxygen and the nutrients vital for leukocytes to fight infection and for fibroblasts to multiply for wound healing. Finally, healing may be impaired because swelling increases the distance for diffusion of oxygen and nutrients from the capillaries to the cells.

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