Despite antibiotics becoming less effective in treating infections, one particular type of honey from New Zealand seems to work when other treatment methods fail.

Infections are caused by bacteria and other microorganisms that feed on skin tissue. Under normal circumstances, the body's immune system can fight these invaders and heal itself. If an infection is persistent or extensive, pharmaceutical products can help to eliminate the infectious microbes. There are also some natural alternatives that can be very effective as well. However, most western doctors are trained to believe in pharmaceuticals, and therefore, when it comes to treating infections, doctors normally prescribe an antibiotic.

A problem that has been occurring in recent years is that bacteria have been developing a resistance to antibiotics. Bacteria have the ability to mutate and become resistant to elements that are attempting to destroy them (such as antibiotics). With doctors over prescribing antibiotics over the past few decades, not to mention all of the antibiotics that are fed to the live stock that we eat, such as cows and chickens, bacteria have been over exposed to these antibiotics and have changed form to an extent that they can become impervious to them.

The good news is that, to date, no bacteria have been able to develop a resistance to Manuka honey. The reason for this is that Manuka honey destroys bacteria in a different manner than the way antibiotics do. By osmosis, Manuka honey has the ability to draw moisture out of the bacterial cell, basically making it impossible for the bacteria to survive. It, in a sense, dehydrates the bacteria by depriving it the moisture necessary for survival. In addition, the high pH levels in Manuka honey create an acidic environment not conducive to bacterial growth.

Manuka honey also contains phytochemical compounds not found in other types of honey that contribute to its antibacterial activity. These plant-derived molecules are only found in the nectar of the flowers that grow on the Manuka plant (Leptospermum scoparium) indigenous to New Zealand. Most types of honey have the ability to produce low levels of hydrogen peroxide, a mild antiseptic. This is what researchers have identified in the past as the contributing factor to honey's antibacterial activity. However, Manuka honey contains non-peroxide activity, over and above its ability to produce hydrogen peroxide, giving it an extra boost in the battle against infectious microorganisms.

Researchers have determined that MRSA bacterial cells have the ability to form a septum, or a wall down the center of the cell, which divides it into two separate cells. This is called cellular mitosis and is how a MRSA infection spreads. Manuka honey has been found to interfere with this cell division cycle and stops the infection dead in its tracks. Most individuals who use antibiotics to treat MRSA usually experience one of two scenarios; either they don't work at all or they experience a recurrence in the future. When using Manuka honey to treat MRSA, the bacteria is completely eradicated.

In order for Manuka honey to be effective, it must come in direct contact with the affected area. This means that for, a topical MRSA infection, Manuka honey has to be applied to the skin, directly on the boil, not taken orally. Unlike antibiotics, Manuka honey has been found to cause no negative side effects whatsoever when used for the treatment of infections. As a result, Manuka honey is being considered a viable alternative to antibiotics for the treatment of MRSA and other infections caused by antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria.