Abstract

Background: The study investigated activity of honey towards pathogenswhen grown in media contained honey, or when honey was added to cultures after inoculation. Material/Methods:1 -Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), Streptococcus pyogenes (S. pyogenes), E.coli and Candida albicans(C. albicans) were cultured into broth containing 10-100% (wt/v) honey concentrations. 2 - Honey wasadded to broth inoculated with isolates after inoculation. 3 - Optimum growth of isolates, therapeuticperiod of honey, and time after addition of honey that showed optimum effect was measured. Results: Theoptimum growth of E. Coli and C. Albicans was 10 hrs and S. aureus was 12 hrs. Honey (30-70%) preventsgrowth of all isolates. Honey (80%) inhibited growth of small (1 ul) and large size of inoculum (10 ul)of E. Coli and S. Aureus when added to their cultures during 24 hrs after inoculation. Honey inhibitedgrowth of C. Albicans when added during 2 to 6 hrs after inoculation. Honey delayed the appearance ofmicrobial growth on the plates. Reculturing of specimens collected from media that showed no growth afteraddition of honey yielded recovery growth for E.coli and C. Albicans, and therapeutic period of honeyfor E.coli and S. Aureus was 2-24 hrs and for C. Albicans was 2-6 hrs. Conclusions: Honey prevents growthof the isolates and inhibits their growth when honey was added to growing culture. The therapeutic periodof honey and recovery growth of inhibited isolates necessitates adjustment of honey doses according totype of isolate and grade of growth.

Keywords: Culture Media - pharmacology, Candida albicans - growth & development, Anti-Infective Agents - pharmacology, Escherichia coli - growth & development, Honey, Staphylococcus aureus - growth & development, Streptococcus pyogenes - growth & development, United Arab Emirates