Sains Malaysiana 51(5)(2022): 1325-1337

http://doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2022-5105-05

Comparing Manuka and Other Medical Honeys as Adjunct to Antibiotic Therapy against Facultative Anaerobes
(Membandingkan Madu Manuka dan Madu Perubatan yang Lain sebagai Adjung kepada Terapi Antibiotik terhadap Anaerob Fakultatif)

JUSTUS THOMAS OBIAJULU SIEVERS^1,2, EMILY MOFFAT², KHADIJAH YUSUF², NABAA SARWAR², ANOM BOWOLAKSONO^1,3* & LORNA FYFE²

¹Graduate School of Biology, Department of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Indonesia, Depok, Indonesia

²Department of Dietetics, Nutrition and Biological Sciences, Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, United Kingdom

³Cellular and Molecular Mechanisms in Biological System (CEMBIOS) Research Group, Department of Biology, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Indonesia

Depok 16424, Indonesia

Received: 3 November 2020/Accepted: 21 September 2021

Abstract

The development of antibiotic resistance in pathogenic bacteria has created a push for new treatments, with honeys (especially Manuka) becoming a common focus due to their strong antimicrobial action. However, alternatives to Manuka are necessary, as its production is vulnerable. Additionally, research is lacking on how honey affect facultative anaerobic bacteria grown in anaerobic conditions and how honey and antibiotics interact in these conditions. In order to understand these interactions and find novel honey candidates, we investigated the antibacterial effects of four honeys (two Manuka, one Chilean and one ‘Santa Cruz’ honeydew honey) against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa grown aerobically and anaerobically in broth cultures, and how the honeys affected the action of common antibiotics against these bacteria using agar diffusion assays. We found all honeys to be highly effective at 75% honey, with no significant differences between honeys, showing that other honeys were suitable alternatives to Manuka at such high concentrations. At 20%, oxygen availability and bacterial species impacted the effectiveness of honeys as Santa Cruz honey was most effective aerobically but failed anaerobically, while Manuka honeys were effective against S. aureus but not P. aeruginosa in both conditions, and Chilean honey was ineffective against all samples. The addition of honey increased bacterial sensitivity to antibiotics in some cases, varying with aerobic conditions. The antibacterial activity of the honeys, and differences in conditions whether aerobically or anaerobically, were not correlated with pH, antioxidant capacity or total phenolic count. Since in all cases honeys were either beneficial or of no effect, these results supported the use of honey as adjunct to antibiotic therapy in scenarios such as on bandages, with honeys other than Manuka also being worth consideration.

Keywords: Antibiotic resistance; honey; Manuka; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Staphylococcus aureus

Abstrak

Perkembangan kerintangan antibiotik oleh bakteria patogen telah mendorong penekanan untuk rawatan baru dengan madu (terutama Manuka) menjadi tumpuan umum disebabkan tindakan antimikrobnya yang kuat. Walau bagaimanapun, alternatif untuk Manuka diperlukan kerana pengeluarannya yang tidak terjamin. Selain itu, penyelidikan mengenai bagaimana madu mempengaruhi bakteria anaerob fakultatif yang tumbuh dalam keadaan anaerob serta bagaimana madu dan antibiotik berinteraksi dalam keadaan ini adalah masih kurang. Untuk memahami interaksi ini dan mencari calon madu yang baharu, kami mengkaji kesan antibakteria bagi empat madu (dua Manuka, satu madu Chile dan satu madu ‘Santa Cruz’) terhadap Staphylococcus aureus dan Pseudomonas aeruginosa yang tumbuh secara aerobik serta anaerobik dalam kultur kaldu dan bagaimana madu mempengaruhi tindakan antibiotik biasa terhadap bakteria ini menggunakan ujian penyerapan agar. Kami mendapati semua madu sangat berkesan pada 75% madu, tanpa perbezaan yang signifikan antara madu, menunjukkan bahawa madu lain adalah alternatif yang sesuai untuk Manuka pada kepekatan tinggi. Pada kepekatan 20%, kehadiran oksigen dan spesies bakteria mempengaruhi keberkesanan madu kerana madu Santa Cruz paling berkesan secara aerobik tetapi gagal secara anaerob, sementara madu Manuka berkesan terhadap S. aureus tetapi tidak berkesan ke atas P. aeruginosa dalam kedua-dua keadaan dan madu Chile tidak berkesan terhadap semua sampel. Penambahan madu meningkatkan kesensitifan bakteria terhadap antibiotik dalam beberapa kes, berbeza dengan keadaan aerobik. Aktiviti antibakteria madu dan perbezaan keadaan sama ada aerobik atau anaerob, tidak berkorelasi dengan pH, kapasiti antioksidan atau jumlah fenol. Oleh kerana dalam semua kes madu adalah sama ada bermanfaat atau tidak mempunyai sebarang kesan, hasil ini menyokong penggunaan madu sebagai tambahan kepada terapi antibiotik dalam senario seperti aplikasi di atas bahan pembalut, serta mempertimbangkan madu selain daripada Manuka.

Kata kunci: Kerintangan antibiotik; madu; Manuka; Pseudomonas aeruginosa; Staphylococcus aureus

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^*Corresponding author; email: alaksono@sci.ui.ac.id