INHIBITORY EFFECTS of HONEY on STAPHYLOCOCCUS AUREUS and ESCHERICHIA COLI: A CURRENT REVIEW

Abstract

Honey is a natural food that has been used since ancient times for its medicinal benefits. Thanks to its antimicrobial activity, which has a very important place among honey's medicinal effects, it can be used against various pathogens such as Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli. The antibacterial effect of honey depends on physical (high osmotic pressure, low water activity and low pH value), chemical (hydrogen peroxide, methylglyocal, phenolic compounds, flavonoids, organic acids and proteins) and biological factors (enzymes secreted by bees, probiotic bacteria and pollen). The antibacterial effect of honey can be affected by the origin of the honey, the type of flower obtained, the season of harvest and processing methods. Therefore, more studies are required to clearly demonstrate the antimicrobial activity of honey and make it available for use in clinical treatments. In this review, it was aimed to better understand the antimicrobial effects of honey on S. aureus and E. coli by searching the current literature.