Remedial effect of different Saudi honey types on some Gram positive bacteria(Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis) and Gram negative bacteria (Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosaandKlebsiella pneumonia) was investigated. The honey types used in this investigation were different in their floral sources, N. Sativa and Ziziphus- Spinachristilocally known asSamra and Sidir, respectively. Well agar diffusion assay for the antibacterial effect of honey was employed. Zones of complete and partialgrowth inhibition of all bacterial species tested weredetected.Tested activity of thehoney types was compared to that of phenol. 50% (w/v) of each of those honey types was equivalent to 3.3 and 4.5% phenol (w/v). Comparing the antibacterial activity ofSamra and Sidir honey types with some commercial antibiotics at 30 g/ml revealed that, some of the antibiotics used were not effective especially against P.aeruginosa. This indicated that honey could be used effectively in some cases where some antibiotics are not effective.Further investigation on the nature of the antibacterial substance in honey through high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC) was attempted. Cinnamic acid, methyl-4-hydroxy-3, 5-dimethoxy benzoate and 4-hydroxy-3, 5-dimethoxy benzoic were the standard references available during this study. No correlation was found between their quantity and the antibacterial activity of the honey types. The present study clearly demonstrated thatsome Saudi honey types possess antibacterial activity against some bacterial species causing wound infections
Honey, Antibacterial, HPLC, phenol, Saudi Arabia
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