Manuka honey may help clear chronic wound infections and tackle the bacteria that delays healing, Cardiff University researchers have found.

Earlier studies have already linked the substance to offering benefits for those suffering MRSA and other such infections as well as in the dressing of wounds.

“We have grown these biofilms in the laboratory and found the manuka honey kills off some of the bacteria but we’ve also found that it can inhibit the growth of these biofilms,” said lead investigator Sarah Maddocks, Ph.D.

The study showed that the majority of bacteria within biofilms was killed by a two-hour manuka treatment. Full findings appear in the journal Microbiology.

The Cardiff team has been working toward providing molecular explanations for the antibacterial action of honey. This study reveals that honey can disrupt an interaction between S. pyogenes, an antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and the human protein fibronectin.

“Molecules on the surface of the bacteria latch onto human fibronectin, anchoring the bacteria to the cell,” Maddocks said, adding that honey has long been known for its antimicrobial properties.