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Australian sugarbag honey from stingless bees found to have antimicrobial properties
Bees are the unsung heroes of the food chain, but it is not just golden nectar this humble insect provides.
It has been revealed that Australian sugarbag honey can help kill off bacteria and fungi that is harmful to human health — all thanks to native, stingless bees.
The new study from University of Sydney researchers found the stingless bees are unlocking their honey's antimicrobial properties and stopping particular pathogens from becoming drug resistant.
It is welcome news, considering experts in infectious diseases forecasted drug-resistant superbugs could kill up to 39 million people by 2050.
Mycologist and lead researcher Kenya Fernandes said current treatments we use for bacterial and fungal infections may not be as effective in the future.
She said it is the sheer number of compounds in sugarbag honey — all of which have their own antimicrobial qualities — that could be of significant scientific use.
In order for the bacteria and fungi to survive the honey's compounds, they would need to develop multiple mutations all at the same time, which is an "incredibly unlikely" possibility.
Although the benefits of bees have been under the microscope of researchers for some time, First Nations bush medicine has been using honey for thousands of years to help fight infection.
Compared to manuka, which gets its antibacterial properties from nectar, sugarbag honey gets its strength from the native bees.
For Dr Fernandes, she and her colleagues tested honey produced from three species of Australian stingless bees, being Tetragonula carbonaria, Tetragonula hockingsi and Austroplebeia australis.
The study used a range of bacteria and fungi to test the honey on, including tinea, golden staph, E. coli and the yeast Cryptococcus neoformans, which causes a serious lung infection.
PhD student Jasmin Li, who worked alongside Dr Fernandes, said many types of honey contain hydrogen peroxide, which is known for its antiseptic properties.
The researchers realised the peroxide overshadowed other potential activity present in the honey, so they removed it through heat treatment.
The results revealed that even after the peroxide was removed, every sample of honey showed activity in reducing bacteria and fungi.
Even more surprising — the honey's microbe-fighting properties persisted through heat treatment and long-term storage, with one batch of honey having sat for 18 years before being used in the study.
With further research, the honey could eventually be used to treat wounds or skin infections.
"We still have a way to go to figure out how we can safely emulate these honey into those kinds of treatments, but we're very optimistic because of the way that the honey works," Dr Fernandes said.
There are a few hurdles the native bees must buzz through before their honey hits pharmacy shelves.
"Australian stingless bees do face a number of different threats. For example, habitat loss due to land clearance, climate change and also the overuse of pesticide," Ms Li said.
The study also discussed the difficulties in scaling up honey production.
Australian stingless bees are much smaller than the average European honey bee, producing only half a litre of honey a year.
One way to improve scalability would be for more people to keep beehives as pets, given these native bees are low maintenance compared to honey bees.
Sugarbag honey was granted approval for human consumption by Food Standards Australia New Zealand just last year.
While the study shows promise, Dr Fernandes hopes further research will look into the honey's untapped medical potential.
