Kanuka honey versus aciclovir for the topical treatment of herpes simplex labialis: a randomised controlled trial

Semprini, Alex; Singer, Joseph; Braithwaite, Irene; Shortt, Nick; Thayabaran, Darmiga; McConnell, Melanie J.; Weatherall, Mark; Beasley, Richard

doi:10.1136/bmjopen-2018-026201

Cited by 49 publications

(45 citation statements)

References 22 publications

(21 reference statements)

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“…Honey is considered to be a functional food and currently has gained much attention because of its positive biological and health properties. Numerous randomised controlled clinical studies have provided compelling evidence that honey possesses antibacterial/antibiofilm, antiviral and anti‐inflammatory properties when applied topically. One of the important and the most studied effects of honey is its antibacterial activity.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Antibacterial potential of Swiss honeys and characterisation of their bee‐derived bioactive compounds

et al. 2019

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BACKGROUND: Antibacterial activity of honey is not only crucial characteristic in selection of honey for medical usage but also an important honey quality marker. The aim of the study was to characterise the antibacterial potential of 29 honey samples representing the main types of multi-floral blossom and honeydew honeys produced in Switzerland. Antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa was expressed as a minimum inhibitory and bactericidal concentrations (MIC and MBC). Furthermore, the content of bee-derived glucose oxidase (GOX) and its enzymatic product, H 2 O 2 , were also evaluated.RESULTS: All honey samples successfully met basic defined criteria (moisture and hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF)) tested in this study. Honeydew honeys were the most effective honey samples and generated the highest levels of H 2 O 2 . A strong significant correlation was found between the overall antibacterial activity and the level of H 2 O 2 among all honey samples. Interestingly, the content of GOX in honey samples did not correlate with their antibacterial activity as well as H 2 O 2 production capacity. A weak antibacterial activity was determined in five floral honeys, most likely due to increased enzymatic activity of pollen-derived catalase.CONCLUSION: This study showed that antibacterial effect of Swiss honey samples is associated mainly with H 2 O 2 .

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Antibacterial potential of Swiss honeys and characterisation of their bee‐derived bioactive compounds

et al. 2019

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“…Participation lasted 10 days, which is equal to that of comparable studies 22,33,34 . Other studies have defined longer periods of observation of up to 22 days [35][36][37] . An extended observation span allows the monitoring of lesions with a longer healing time but might lead to a negative impact on the recruitment and compliance of patients.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Clinical Study on the Effectiveness of Three Products in the Treatment of Herpes Simplex Labialis

Boes

Goulioumis

Wechsler

et al. 2020

Sci Rep

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Herpes simplex labialis (HSL) is a viral disease that affects the perioral region. No guidelines recommending an effective treatment exist. The treatment of HSL with three different products was examined. Herpatch Serum, a film-forming patch, was compared to Compeed Patches, a set of semiocclusive hydrocolloid patches, and Zovirax Cream (ingredient: 5% acyclovir). In this prospective, randomized, examiner-blind study, 180 patients with recurrent HSL were split into three groups (Compeed: n = 60, Herpatch: n = 60, Zovirax: n = 60) and examined within 24 hours of HSL outbreak (DRKS Registration No.: DRKS00007786). The primary endpoint was healing time. The secondary endpoints were the reaction rate and quality of therapy evaluated by the Clinician's Global Assessment of Therapy (CGAT) and the Subject's Global Assessment of Therapy (SGAT) (0 = no response; 10 = excellent response), respectively. There was no significant difference among the healing times for the different products. The mean (95% confidence interval) was 9.67 days (9.11-10.22) for Compeed, 9.30 days (8.75-9.85) for Herpatch, and 9.80 days (9.30-10.30) for Zovirax. The reaction rate and quality of therapy (CGAT and SGAT) of Herpatch were significantly higher than those of Compeed and Zovirax. Within the study limitations, Herpatch proved to be an effective, non-antiviral alternative in the treatment of HSL.Herpes simplex labialis (HSL) is a worldwide infection of the oral and perioral regions caused by an infection with Herpes Simplex Virus type 1 (HSV-1) or, rarely, Herpes Simplex Virus type 2 (HSV-2). Despite the high prevalence of HSL, the disease has not yet been well characterized. The seroprevalence of HSV-1 in Germany was 78.4% from 2008 until 2011 1,2 . While many infections remain subclinical, other patients suffer from painful recurrent infections.Following the primary infection with HSV-1, the virus replicates at the site of infection and proceeds to travel retrograde down unmyelinated sensory fibres to the trigeminal ganglion, where it establishes latency 3 . Interfering triggers such as psychological or physiological stress, UVB radiation, trauma, menstruation, sideropenia or febrile illness can provoke the reactivation of the virus 4,5 .The course of disease in recurrent HSL generally involves several stages. Within the precursor stage, pain, tingling, or burning sensations in the affected area may occur. This is followed by the appearance of a macule, turning into a papule and leading to the formation of a vesicle. The vesicle bursts, and the formation of a soft scab is initiated. Subsequently, the soft scab is replaced by a hard scab. Over time, the scab falls off, and the lesion is fully healed without scarring 6-8 . While healing, the process is often accompanied by symptoms such as pain, discomfort or reduced self-esteem 6 . Complete healing takes seven to ten days 7 .The treatment of recurrent HSL turns out to be very difficult and variable. Because of the slight effects of diverse therapies, the infection represents a constant and...

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“…Other reports show success with use of honey in dermatitis and pityriasis [ 14 ]. Subsequently, a large trial is now underway, comparing the use of topical aciclovir to Kanuka honey for treatment of active cold sores [ 15 ].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Successful Treatment of Actinic Keratosis with Kanuka Honey

Mane

Singer

Corin³

et al. 2018

Case Reports in Dermatological Medicine

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Actinic keratoses form as rough, scaly plaques on sun-exposed areas; they can be an important step in premalignant progression to squamous cell cancer of the skin. Currently, pharmacological treatments consist of topical immunomodulatory agents with poor side effect profiles. Use of honey has been common in both ancient and modern medicine, where it is now a key therapy in the management of wound healing. In vitro studies show the New Zealand native Kanuka honey to have immunomodulatory and antimitotic effects, with recent evidence suggesting efficacy of topical application in a variety of dermatological contexts, including rosacea and psoriasis. Here, we present a case report of a 66-year-old gentleman with an actinic keratosis on his hand, which had been present for years. Regular application of Kanuka honey over three months resulted in remission immediately following the treatment period with no signs of recurrence at nine months.

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Kanuka honey versus aciclovir for the topical treatment of herpes simplex labialis: a randomised controlled trial

Cited by 49 publications

References 22 publications

Antibacterial potential of Swiss honeys and characterisation of their bee‐derived bioactive compounds

Antibacterial potential of Swiss honeys and characterisation of their bee‐derived bioactive compounds

Clinical Study on the Effectiveness of Three Products in the Treatment of Herpes Simplex Labialis

Successful Treatment of Actinic Keratosis with Kanuka Honey

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