Objective
To evaluate the antibacterial potential of locally produced honey against diarrhea causing clinical isolates and comparison with commercially available Malaysian tualang honey.
Methodology
An agar dilution assay was adopted to determine the MICs of locally produced black seed (Nigella sativa), garanda (Carissa opaca) honey and commercially available Malaysian tualang (Kompassia excelsa) honey against ten bacterial isolates from diarrheal feces. Four ATCC reference strains were also assessed for their susceptibility to these honeys. Antibacterial activities of the honeys were standardized according to phenol equivalence.
Results
MICs of garanda, black seed and tualang honey ranged from 5.0% to 7.6%, 6.0% to 12% and 8.0% to 15% respectively against clinical isolates. The garanda honey exhibited higher antibacterial activity against Vibrio cholerae with 5.0% MIC in comparison with black seed (6.0%) and tualang honey (8.0%). The garanda honey also inhibited all ATCC reference strains at lower concentration (4.3 to 8.3%) in comparison to black seed (6.0 to 11.6%) and tualang honey (7.0 to 12%).
Conclusions
Locally produced honeys have better antibacterial activity as compared to commercially available tualang honey. Therefore these honeys may be evaluated in clinical trial as possible therapeutic option for treatment of infectious diarrhea.
Key words: Infectious Diarrhea, Honey, Antibacterial activity, Escherichia coli, Vibrio cholerae
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