Manuka honey is known for its particularly potent antibacterial properties. Produced in New Zealand, it is a monofloral honey, which means that it is made by insects from the nectar from just one plant--in this case, the Manuka bush. According to the Active Manuka Honey Association, UMF Manuka honey is effective against many types of resistant bacteria, including major wound-infecting bacteria. Manuka honey can be applied topically, but it's also edible, just like other honey varieties.
The History of Honey as a Healer
Honey has been used to treat infections for thousands of years, according to Nicholas Namias of the University of Miami School of Medicine. "It is mentioned for healing purposes in the Bible, the Koran, and the Torah," Namias writes in the July 2003 issue of "Surgical Infections." But it is only since the late 20th century that researchers truly began to understand how Manuka honey in particular heals.
Why Manuka Honey Works
According to the Active Manuka Honey Association, most honeys have antibacterial properties due to an enzyme called glucose oxidase, which helps form natural hydrogen peroxide, an antiseptic that combats bacteria. "It is well established that honey inhibits a broad spectrum of bacterial species," according to the Waikato Honey Research Unit in New Zealand, led by professor Peter Molan. Molan, a professor of biochemistry at New Zealand's University of Waikato, has discovered that honey from the Manuka bush has antibacterial powers that aren't found in other types of honey due to a property referred to as Unique Manuka Factor, or UMF.
Understanding the Unique Manuka Factor (UMF)
Because Manuka honey is naturally produced--as opposed to being created in a lab--there are variations in each batch's bacteria-fighting strength. A batch's Unique Manuka Factor rating, or UMF rating, is a number that signifies its antibacterial potency, the Active Manuka Honey Association explains. A batch must rate at least 5 on the UMF scale to qualify as being potent enough for medical use.
Choosing the Right Kind of Honey
Not all Manuka honey has a UMF rating--its antibacterial properties are not medically significant--nor are all UMF-rated honey varieties equally potent. Choose a Manuka honey with a UMF rating on the label, the Active Manuka Honey Association recommends. According to Honeymark, a UMF Manuka honey distributor, a Manuka honey with a UMF rating between 10 and 18 is optimal for therapeutic use, while a rating between 20 and 30 increases the chance of sensitivity or irritation.
Other Factors at Work
Manuka honey is particularly effective as a bacteria-fighting agent due to its UMF, but there are other factors at work, too, and many are common to other types of less potent honey. According to the Waikato Honey Research Unit, honey is acidic, with its pH levels typically between 3.2 and 4.5, which inhibits bacterial growth. Common wound-infecting species such as Escherichia coli and Streptococcus pyogenes can't grow when pH levels are below 4.3. Hydrogen peroxide is also a natural product of Manuka honey, and it acts as a slow-release antiseptic that is potent enough to limit bacteria growth but not strong enough to damage tissue.
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