In vitro bactericidal activity of honey against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. Comparison with the activity of cephalosporins

Abstract

A comparative study was conducted between the antibacterial activity of honey and cephalexin against a strain of Escherichia coli and honey and cefquinome against a strain of Staphylococcus aureus by modified time-kill-curves essays. In all trials, the maximum antibacterial activity of honey was observed at a dilution of 50% v/v. Regarding the comparative efficacy between honey and antibiotics, it was observed that against E. coli, cephalexin achieved a reduction in viable bacteria count compatible with a bactericidal effect (<500 cfu/mL), while honey did not overcome this breakpoint. The opposite was observed for S. aureus, where honey achieved a reduction in the viable bacteria count compatible with a bacterial eradication effect (<50 cfu/mL) with respect to the bactericidal effect obtained with cefquinome (<500 cfu/mL). These preliminary results corroborate the need to revalue the antibacterial activity of natural products, whose efficacy - although empirically - was already known since antiquity and was forgotten after the appearance of antibiotics.