Honey's ability to counter bacterial infections arises from both bactericidal compounds and QS inhibition
The ability of honey to kill bacterial pathogens in vitro and quickly clear even chronic or drug-resistant infections has been demonstrated by several studies. Most current research is focused on identifying the bactericidal compounds in honey, but the action of the compounds discovered is not suff...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2012-04-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Microbiology |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fmicb.2012.00144/full |
| _version_ | 1811303621434802176 |
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| author | Rui eWang Melissa eStarkey Melissa eStarkey Melissa eStarkey Ronen eHazan Ronen eHazan Ronen eHazan Laurence eRahme Laurence eRahme |
| author_facet | Rui eWang Melissa eStarkey Melissa eStarkey Melissa eStarkey Ronen eHazan Ronen eHazan Ronen eHazan Laurence eRahme Laurence eRahme |
| author_sort | Rui eWang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The ability of honey to kill bacterial pathogens in vitro and quickly clear even chronic or drug-resistant infections has been demonstrated by several studies. Most current research is focused on identifying the bactericidal compounds in honey, but the action of the compounds discovered is not sufficient to explain honey’s activity. By diluting honey to sub-inhibitory levels, we were able to study its impact on bacterial behavior, and discovered that honey inhibits bacterial quorum sensing (QS). Experiments to characterize and quantify honey’s effect on the QS networks of Pseudomonas aeruginosa revealed that low concentrations of honey inhibited the expression of MvfR, las and rhl regulons, including the associated virulence factors. This research also establishes that inhibition of quorum sensing is associated with honey’s sugar content. Therefore, honey combats infections by two independent mechanisms acting in tandem: bactericidal components, which actively kill cells and disruption of QS, which weakens bacterial coordination and virulence. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-13T07:51:42Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4ef46120c4ac43a98a158a6b24da732b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1664-302X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-13T07:51:42Z |
| publishDate | 2012-04-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Microbiology |
| spelling | doaj.art-4ef46120c4ac43a98a158a6b24da732b2022-12-22T02:55:31ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Microbiology1664-302X2012-04-01310.3389/fmicb.2012.0014422217Honey's ability to counter bacterial infections arises from both bactericidal compounds and QS inhibitionRui eWang0Melissa eStarkey1Melissa eStarkey2Melissa eStarkey3Ronen eHazan4Ronen eHazan5Ronen eHazan6Laurence eRahme7Laurence eRahme8Mass General HospitalMass General HospitalAmerican College of PhysiciansShriners Burns InstituteMass General HospitalShriners Burns InstituteIYAR, The Israeli Institute for Advanced ResearchMass General HospitalShriners Burns InstituteThe ability of honey to kill bacterial pathogens in vitro and quickly clear even chronic or drug-resistant infections has been demonstrated by several studies. Most current research is focused on identifying the bactericidal compounds in honey, but the action of the compounds discovered is not sufficient to explain honey’s activity. By diluting honey to sub-inhibitory levels, we were able to study its impact on bacterial behavior, and discovered that honey inhibits bacterial quorum sensing (QS). Experiments to characterize and quantify honey’s effect on the QS networks of Pseudomonas aeruginosa revealed that low concentrations of honey inhibited the expression of MvfR, las and rhl regulons, including the associated virulence factors. This research also establishes that inhibition of quorum sensing is associated with honey’s sugar content. Therefore, honey combats infections by two independent mechanisms acting in tandem: bactericidal components, which actively kill cells and disruption of QS, which weakens bacterial coordination and virulence.http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fmicb.2012.00144/fullHoneyInfectionPseudomonasquorum-sensingWoundsmvfR |
| spellingShingle | Rui eWang Melissa eStarkey Melissa eStarkey Melissa eStarkey Ronen eHazan Ronen eHazan Ronen eHazan Laurence eRahme Laurence eRahme Honey's ability to counter bacterial infections arises from both bactericidal compounds and QS inhibition Frontiers in Microbiology Honey Infection Pseudomonas quorum-sensing Wounds mvfR |
| title | Honey's ability to counter bacterial infections arises from both bactericidal compounds and QS inhibition |
| title_full | Honey's ability to counter bacterial infections arises from both bactericidal compounds and QS inhibition |
| title_fullStr | Honey's ability to counter bacterial infections arises from both bactericidal compounds and QS inhibition |
| title_full_unstemmed | Honey's ability to counter bacterial infections arises from both bactericidal compounds and QS inhibition |
| title_short | Honey's ability to counter bacterial infections arises from both bactericidal compounds and QS inhibition |
| title_sort | honey s ability to counter bacterial infections arises from both bactericidal compounds and qs inhibition |
| topic | Honey Infection Pseudomonas quorum-sensing Wounds mvfR |
| url | http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fmicb.2012.00144/full |
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