KEY POINTS:
A study has found honey is just as effective as standard treatment for leg ulcers, but costs more and is more likely to cause pain.
The study was carried out at Auckland University.
Clinical trials research unit senior research fellow Dr Andrew Jull said traditional remedies such as honey had received a lot of attention recently, but needed to be tested in clinical trials before they were taken up by health services.
"Our trial suggests that treatment with honey dressings is unlikely to improve on standard treatment.
"It is also likely to cost health services more and cause ulcer pain in about one in four patients."
Venous leg ulcers, which are unhealed wounds on the lower leg, are the most common type of leg ulcer.
The study randomly divided 368 patients in Auckland, South Auckland, Waikato and Christchurch into two groups.
One group had honey dressings while the other had conventional dressings. Both groups also had tight compression bandaging to help move fluid back up to the heart.
Dr Jull said no significant difference between the rate of healing was shown after 12 weeks' treatment.
However, the honey treatment was likely to be more costly, and people in that group reported significantly more adverse events than in the conventional group. The results of the trial will be published in this month's British Journal of Surgery.
The study was funded by the Health Research Council of New Zealand, Comvita and USL Medical Ltd.
A study at Waikato University published last year in New Scientist found honey improved memory during ageing and reduced anxiety.
Waikato University biochemist professor Peter Molan, who has researched honey and other natural antibiotics for more than 25 years, has found manuka honey can kill the toughest bacteria.
- NZPA
