Recent years have seen a reintroduction in the use of honey as a modern wound management product. Records found in the Edwin Smith Surgical Papyrus tell us that honey was used extensively in Egyptian medicine. This dates back to around 1700 BC, but is thought to contain knowledge from a much earlier era, possibly 3000-2500 BC. In the Ebers Papyrus (1550 BC), the basic wound dressing used for numerous topical applications consisted of lint, grease and honey. Although ancient use relied on local honeys, today there are regulated, licenced products that have undergone the scrutiny of regulatory bodies.
With the emergence of antibiotic resistance in microorganisms, there is a need to find effective treatments. The therapeutic properties of honey are due not only its antimicrobial activity, but to its ability to promote wound healing. This text offers the reader an insight into both the historical and modern uses of honey, and provides both laboratory and clinical data as well as dealing with the mode of action of honey, as it is understood to date.
The chapters, written by key opinion leaders in their areas, cover: the historical background to the medicinal use of honey; the antimicrobial activity of honey; the challenges in modern wound microbiology; clinical guidelines for the use of honey in wound care; the use of honey to prevent medical device-related infections; the potential use of honey in the treatment of diabetic foot ulcers; the efficacy of honey as a pH modulating agent; the use of honey in paediatric care, oncology, radiotherapy damaged tissue and burns; and the immunomodulatory components of honey.
With the rapid acceptance in the use of honey as a modern wound management product over the last five years, this book is a timely review of recent developments and enables healthcare professionals to make informed decisions about when and how to use honey in their day-to-day practice. In addition, the comprehensive list of citations included in this book are likely to be a valuable resource for both students and practitioners alike.
About the editors:
Rose Cooper is Professor of Microbiology at the Cardiff School of Health Sciences, University of Wales Institute Cardiff (UWIC). Her research concerns the causes of wound infection and effective treatments. She has an interest in the therapeutic properties of honey, in particular manuka honey, in limiting the growth and division of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). She has written in more than 70 publications and is a prominent speaker at conferences in Europe, and in North and South America and collaborates extensively with colleagues in New Zealand, Australia, Ireland and France. She is a Council Member of the International Bee Research Association and Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.
Peter Molan is Professor of Biological Sciences and Director of the Honey Research Unit at the University of Waikato, New Zealand. He became interested in the antibacterial properties of manuka honey in 1981 and has published numerous articles and review papers in international scientific and medical journals. In recognition for his work on honey he was awarded an MBE in the Queen's Birthday honours list in 1995, and the Science and Technology Silver Medal by the Royal Society of New Zealand in 2001.
Richard White is Professor of Tissue Viability in the Department of Health, Social Care and Psychology at the University of Worcester and a Senior Research Fellow in the Department of Tissue Viability, Aberdeen Royal Infirmary. He graduated in biochemistry and physiology, and completed his PhD in dermatology studies at the University of Liverpool. He has over thirty years' experience in dermatology and wound care, both as an academic researcher and in the medical devices industry. He has conducted and published scientific research in skin biochemistry and physiology and, more recently, books on general approaches to wound management.
Price: £29.99 plus p&p (Club Wounds UK members £23.99 plus p&p)
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Honey: A Modern Wound Management Product