Background Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) is a common condition which affects the quality of life of millions of patients worldwide and has a significant impact on health-care resources. While Staphylococcus aureus bacterial biofilms play an important role in this disease, antimicrobial therapy is rarely effective and may promote antibiotic resistance. Thus, development of novel biofilm-targeting and antibiotic-sparing therapies is highly desirable and urgently required. Objective This in vitro study evaluated the antimicrobial activity of a novel synthetic honey-equivalent product which was designed to have the same reactive oxygen release profile as the engineered honey SurgihoneyRO™. Methods Treatment efficacy was investigated by assessment of planktonic growth, biofilm viability, thickness, and biomass using 12 CRS-related S. aureus mucosal bacterial strains. Results Both SurgihoneyRO™ and the synthetic honey-equivalent product inhibited growth of planktonic methicillin-resistant and methicillin-sensitive S. aureus strains, with the synthetic honey-equivalent product exhibiting a lower minimum inhibitory concentration. Treatment of established S. aureus biofilms reduced biofilm viability with 24-hour treatment resulting in a 2-log reduction in viability of biofilms formed by methicillin-resistant strains and a 1-log reduction in biofilms formed by methicillin-sensitive strains. Conclusions This preliminary study shows that the synthetic honey-equivalent product provides marked antimicrobial activity against S. aureus biofilms, with the potential for development in the clinical setting as an adjunctive biofilm-targeted therapy in CRS. The ultimate aim of such a product would be to reduce the need for antibiotics, steroids, and invasive surgical procedures in CRS patients as well as improving clinical outcomes following endoscopic sinus surgery.

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