Drug Res (Stuttg) 2015; 65(11): 592-596
DOI: 10.1055/s-0034-1395580
Original Article
© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

In-vitro Activity of Honey and Topical Silver in Wound Care Management

Y.-L. Wang
1   Department of Intensive Care Unit, The Affiliated Hospital to Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, China
,
Q.-H. Yu
2   Department of Surgery, The Affiliated Hospital to Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, China
,
S.-K. Chen
3   Department of Nephrology, The Affiliated Hospital to Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, China
,
Y.-H. Wang
4   Nursing College, Changchun University of Chinese Medicine, Changchun, China
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

received 18 October 2014

accepted 30 October 2014

Publication Date:
11 December 2014 (online)

Abstract

Background: With the rise of multidrug resistance among pathogens, especially in wound care management is of great concern. Hence, we designed to study the in-vitro activity of topical agents honey and silver against wound infection and compares silver and honey dressings used in wound care.

Methods: 172 isolates from burn and surgical wounds were isolated from patients admitted to Nursing College, Changchun University Of Chinese Medicine, China during 2013–2014 are included in the study. 59 Pseudomonas, 41 E.coli, 28 S aureus, 25 Klebsiella pneumoniae, 11 Proteus, 8 Acinetobacter were isolated. Susceptibility testing for honey and silver nitrate was done using the agar dilution method. 80 patients were divided into 2 groups. Type 1 used Algivon with UMF12 honey coated dressing for 40 patients and the other 40 patients received Type II used Acti-coat silver absorbent dressings. 30 patients received ordinary dressings were included as control group patients.

Results: 50/59 (84.7%) Pseudomonas spp, 39 (95.1%) of E.coli and 26/28 (92.9%) S. aureus were sensitive for silver nitrate. K. pneumoniae, Proteus spp and Acinetobacter spp showed 100% sensitivity for silver nitrate by agar dilution method. All the isolates showed 100% sensitivity for honey at concentration. In type I – honey coated dressings consist of 40 patients with 18 (45%) male and 22 (55%) female patients. Type II – silver-coated dressings consist of 40 patients with 24 (60%) females and 16 (40%) male patients.

Conclusion: This study results showed positive efforts on improvising in wound dressings as a replacement to lower antimicrobial resistance and limit racial use of antibiotics.

 
  • References

  • 1 Dale RM, Schnell G, Wong JP. Therapeutic efficacy of Nubiotics against burn wound infection by Pseudomonas aeruginosa . Antimicrob Agents Chemother 2004; 48: 2918-2923
  • 2 Blair SE, Cokcetin NN, Harry EJ et al. The unusual antibacterial activity of medical-grade leptospermum honey: antibacterial spectrum, resistance, and transcriptome analysis. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 2009; 28: 1199-1208
  • 3 Leaper D. An overview of the evidence on the efficacy of silver dressings: In The silver Debate: a new consensus on what constitutes credible and attainable evidence. J Wound Care supplement. 2011
  • 4 DuToit DF, Page BJ. An in-vitro evaluation of the cell toxicity of honey and silver dressings. J Wound Care 2009; 18: 383-389
  • 5 Cooper RA, Jenkins L, Henriques AFM et al. Absence of bacterial resistance to medical grade manuka honey. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 2010; 29: 1237-1241
  • 6 Molan P, White R, Cooper R. Mode of action in Honey: A Modern Wound Management Product. Wounds 2005; 1-23
  • 7 Chopra I. The increasing use of silver based products as antimicrobial agents: A useful development or a cause for concern. J Antimicrob Chemother 2007; 59: 587-590
  • 8 Price WR, Wood M. Silver nitrate burn dressing. Treatment of seventy burned persons. Am J Surg 1966; 112: 674-680
  • 9 Moyer CA, Brentano L, Gravens DL et al. Treatment of large human burns with 0.5 percent silver nitrate solution. Arch Surg 1965; 90: 812-867
  • 10 Lansdown AB. Silver toxicity in mammals and how its products aid wound repair. J Wound Care 2002; 11: 173-177
  • 11 Marshall JP, Schneider RP. Systemic argyria secondary to topical silver nitrate. Arch Dermato 1977; 113: 1077-9
  • 12 Fong J, Wood F. Nanocrystalline silver dressings in wound management: a review. Int J Nanomedicine 2006; 1: 441-449
  • 13 Jørgensen B, Bech-Thomsen B, Grenov B et al. Effects of a new silver dressing on chronic venous leg ulcers with signs of critical colonization. J Wound Care 2006; 15: 97-100
  • 14 Palfreyman SJ, Nelson EA, Lochiel R et al. Dressings for healing venous leg ulcers. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2006; 3 CD001103
  • 15 Jull A, Walker N, Parag V et al. Randomized clinical trial of honey-impregnated dressings for venous leg ulcers. Br J Surg 2008; 95: 175-182
  • 16 Molan PC. Debridement of wound with honey. J Wound Technol 2009; 5: 12-17
  • 17 Van der Weyden EA. Treatment of a venous leg ulcer with a honey alginate dressing. Br J Community Nurs 2005; 10: S21-S24 S26–S27
  • 18 Performance standards for antimicrobial susceptibility testing – 11th informational supplement. M100-S23. CLSI, Wayne, PA, USA 2013
  • 19 Nakahara H, Ishikawa T, Sarai Y et al. Frequency of heavy-metals resistance in bacteria from patient in Japan. Nature 1977; 266: 165-167
  • 20 Cooper RA, Molan PC, Halas E. Efficacy of honey in inhibiting strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa from infected burns. J Burn Care Rehabil 2002; 23: 366-370
  • 21 McRipley JR, Witney RR. Responsiveness of experimental surgical wound infections to topical chemotherapy. Antimicrob Agents Chemother 1976; 10: 45-51
  • 22 Modak SM, Fox CL. Sulphadiazine silver-resistant Pseudomonas in burns. New topical agents. Arch Surg 1981; 116: 854-857
  • 23 O’Meara SO, Cullum N, Majid M et al. Systematic review of wound care management: Antimicrobial agents. HealthTechnol Assess 2000; 4: 1-237
  • 24 O’Meara SO, Cullum N, Majid M et al. Systematic review of antimicrobial agents used for chronic wounds. Br J Surg 2001; 88: 4-21
  • 25 Molan P. The evidence and the rationale for the use of honey as a wound dressing. Wound Practice and Research 2011; 19: 204-220
  • 26 Selby T. Managing exudate in malignant fungating wounds and solving problems for patients. Nurs Times 2009; 105: 14-17
  • 27 Alexander S. Malignant fungating wounds: managing malodour and exudate. J Wound Care 2009; 18: 374-382
  • 28 Gethin G, Cowman S. Manuka honey Vs. hydrogel: a prospective, open label, multicentre, randomized controlled trial to compare desloughing efficacy and healing outcome in venous ulcers. J Clin Nurs 2008; 18: 466-478
  • 29 Aramwit P, Muangman P, Namviriyachote N et al. In vitro evaluation of the antimicrobial effectiveness and moisture binding properties of wound dressings. Int J Mol Sci 2010; 11: 2864-2874
  • 30 Bradshaw CE. An in vitro comparison of the antimicrobial activity of honey, iodine and silver wound dressings. Bio Horizons 2011; 4: 61-70
  • 31 Jull AB, Walker N, Deshpande S. Honey as a topical treatment for wounds. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 2013; 2 CD005083
  • 32 Molan P, Betts J. Using honey dressings: the practical considerations. Nurs Times 2000; 96: 36-37
  • 33 Molan PC. The evidence supporting the use of honey as a wound dressing. Int J Low Extrem Wounds 2006; 5: 40-54