Answer: Try honey.

J Wound Ostomy Continence Nurs. 2007 Mar-Apr;34(2):184-90.

Effectiveness of a honey dressing for healing pressure ulcers.

Yapucu Güneş U, Eşer I.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effect of a honey dressing vs an ethoxy-diaminoacridine plus nitrofurazone dressing in patients with pressure ulcers.

DESIGN: This 5-week randomized clinical trial evaluated the effect of a honey dressing on pressure ulcer healing.

SETTING AND SUBJECTS: Thirty-six patients with a total of 68 stage II or III pressure ulcers referred from a university hospital in Izmir were enrolled in the study. Twenty-six subjects completed the trial.

INSTRUMENTS: Ulcers were measured with acetate tracings and Pressure Ulcer Scale for Healing (PUSH) evaluations.

METHODS: Fifteen patients with 25 pressure ulcers were treated with honey dressings, and 11 patients with 25 pressure ulcers were treated with ethoxy-diaminoacridine plus nitrofurazone dressings. Wound healing was assessed weekly using the PUSH tool, version 3.0. The primary outcome measure was the change in PUSH tool scores in each group at 5 weeks.

RESULTS: The two groups were statistically similar with regard to baseline and wound characteristics. After 5 weeks of treatment, patients who were treated by honey dressing had significantly better PUSH tool scores than subjects treated with the ethoxy-diaminoacridine plus nitrofurazone dressing (6.55 +/- 2.14 vs 12.62 +/- 2.15, P < .001).

CONCLUSION: By week 5, PUSH tool scores showed that healing among subjects using a honey dressing was approximately 4 times the rate of healing in the comparison group. The use of a honey dressing is effective and practical.

Int Wound J. 2010 Oct;7(5):413-7. doi: 10.1111/j.1742-481X.2010.00717.x.

Honey compared with silver sulphadiazine in the treatment of superficial partial-thickness burns.

Malik KI, Malik MA, Aslam A.

POF Hospital, Surgical Unit-1, Wah Cantt, Pakistan. drkamranmalik@hotmail.com

Abstract

Burn injury is associated with a high incidence of death and disability; yet, its management remains problematic and costly. We conducted this clinical study to evaluate the efficacy of honey in the treatment of superficial and partial-thickness burns covering less than 40% of body surface area and compared its results with those of silver sulphadiazine (SSD). In this randomised comparative clinical trial, carried out Burn Center of POF Hospital, Wah Cantt, Pakistan, from May 2007 to February 2008, 150 patients of all ages having similar types of superficial and partial-thickness burns at two sites on different parts of body were included. Each patient had one burn site treated with honey and one treated with topical SSD, randomly. The rate of re-epithelialization and healing of superficial and partial-thickness burns was significantly faster in the sites treated with honey than in the sites treated with SSD (13·47 ± 4·06 versus 15·62 ± 4·40 days, respectively: P < 0·0001). The site treated with honey healed completely in less than 21 days versus 24 days for the site treated with SSD. Six patients had positive culture for Pseudomonas aeroginsa in honey-treated site, whereas 27 patients had positive culture in SSD-treated site. The results clearly showed greater efficacy of honey over SSD cream for treating superficial and partial-thickness burns.

2010 The Authors. Journal Compilation © 2010 Blackwell Publishing Ltd and Medicalhelplines.com Inc.

PMID: 20649832 [PubMed – in process]

Curr Clin Pharmacol. 2010 Nov 1;5(4):251-6.

Pentoxifylline and local honey for radiation-induced burn following breast conservative surgery.

Shoma A, Eldars W, Noman N, Saad M, Elzahaf E, Abdalla M, Eldin DS, Zayed D, Shalaby A, Malek HA.

Algomhoria ST., Faculty of Medicine Manoura University Hospital, Elmansoura, Egypt. ashrafshoma@mans.edu.eg.

Abstract

Introduction: Breast-conserving therapy is currently the standard of management of breast cancer cases. Radiotherapy is an integral part of it; however, it has several complications. Radiation induced burn is a common complication of radiotherapy that requires more effective lines of management rather than the classically used ones. We investigated whether the addition of pentoxifylline (PTX) alone or in combination with topical honey is effective in its management compared to the standard measures. Methods and Materials: In this prospective study, patients were randomly allocated into three groups each of 50 cases. Group A received standard burn treatment (control group). Group B received additionally 400 mg PTX twice daily. Group C received the same treatment as Group B with adding topical purified honey ointment. Patients were assessed initially and subsequently after 4 and 12 weeks, for projected coetaneous surface area (PCSA) of burn, Pain severity, limitation of movement and exudation. Results: There was a striking regression of the mean PCSAs of lesions among groups B and C at 12 weeks, with reduction rates (86±61%) and (76±58%) respectively (p<0.0001***). The addition of honey was associated with marked pain reliving effect and rescue of proper motion. Finally, honey was associated with shorter duration of treatment as 74% of group C patients completely recovered after 12 weeks, compared to only 54% and 36% of groups B and A in order. Conclusion: Combination of PTX and honey is an ideal measure for treatment of radiation-induced burn following breast conservative surgery.