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- Title
Synergistic Effect of Starch on the Honey Antibacterial Activity Against Staphylococcus Aureus.
- Authors
L., Boukraâ; K., Amara; H., Aggad
- Abstract
BACKGROUND A comparative method of adding honey to culture media with and without starch was used to evaluate the role of amylases present in honey in enhancing its antibacterial activity. MATERIAL AND METHODS Three varieties of honey from different origins were tested for their antibacterial activity against a strain of Staphylococcus aureus using an agar incorporation technique. For each variety the Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC) was determined by finding the plate with the lowest concentration of honey on which the strain would not grow. A solution of 10 % starch was used to add the given concentration to honey. An equivalent volume of water was added to honey as control. Honey and starch as well as honey and water were incubated for 24 hours at 37°C before being incorporated to nutrient agar. The same volume of starch was added to media without honey as control. The MIC for each batch of media was then determined. MAIN RESULTS The MIC for the three varieties of honey without starch was 11 %, 24 % and 29 %. When starch was added to the media containing honey the MIC obtained was 5 %, 19 % and 25 % respectively. The inhibitory action was shown neither in the media containing starch only nor in media with honey and water with the corresponding MIC. CONCLUSION As amylases originating from bees and pollen are present in honey, these split starch chains to randomly produce dextrin and maltose and probably increase the osmotic effect in the media by increasing the amount of sugars and consequently increase the antibacterial activity. Clinical trials using a mixture of honey and starch to treat infections could validate this finding.
- Subjects
HONEY; STARCH; STAPHYLOCOCCUS aureus; ANTIBACTERIAL agents; CULTURE media (Biology)
- Publication
Malaysian Journal of Medical Sciences, 2007, Vol 14, Issue 1, p119
- ISSN
1394-195X
- Publication type
Article