A potential new treatment combining natural manuka honey with a widely used drug has been developed by scientists at Aston University to treat a life-threatening lung infection and significantly reduce the side effects of one of the drugs currently used for his treatment.
The results, which are published in the journal Microbiology, show that scientists from the Mycobacteria Research Group at Aston University College of Health and Life Sciences were able to combine manuka honey and the drug amikacin in a laboratory nebulizer formulation to treat the harmful bacterial lung infection Mycobacterium abscessus.
Manuka honey has long been known for its broad medicinal properties, but more recently it has been identified for its broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity. Now scientists have discovered that manuka honey has the potential to kill a number of drug resistant bacterial infections such as Mycobacterium abscessus – which usually affects patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) or bronchiectasis.
According to the Cystic Fibrosis Trust, cystic fibrosis is a genetic condition affecting around 10,800 people – one in every 2,500 babies born in the UK – and more than 100,000 people have the disease worldwide. The NHS defines bronchiectasis as a long-term condition in which the airways in the lungs widen, causing excess mucus to build up which can make the lungs more vulnerable to infection.
In the study, the researchers used samples of the bacteria Mycobacterium abscessus from 16 infected CF patients. They then tested the antibiotic amikacin, combined with manuka honey, to find out what dosage was needed to kill the bacteria.
As part of the study, the team used a laboratory model of a lung and a nebulizer – a device that produces a fine spray of liquid often used to inhale medication. By nebulizing manuka honey and amikacin together, it was found that they might improve bacterial clearance, even when using lower doses of amikacin, resulting in fewer life-changing side effects. patient.
In the UK, of the 10,800 people living with cystic fibrosis, Mycobacterium abscessus infects 13% of all patients with the disease. This new approach is advantageous not only because it has the potential to kill a highly drug-resistant infection, but also because it reduces side effects, improves quality of life, and dramatically improves chances of survival for patients with cystic fibrosis.
Mycobacterium abscessus is a bacterial pathogen in the same family that causes tuberculosis, but this insect differs in causing serious lung infections in people (especially children) with pre-existing lung conditions, such as cystic fibrosis and bronchiectasis, as well as causing skin and soft tissue infections. The bacterium is also very resistant to drugs.
Currently, patients are given a cocktail of antibiotics, consisting of 12 months or more of antimicrobial chemotherapy and often does not result in a cure. The usual dose of amikacin used on a patient to kill the infection is 16 micrograms per milliliter. But the researchers found that the new combination using manuka honey required a dose of just 2 micrograms per milliliter of amikacin, which reduced the dose of the drug by one-eighth.
so far Mycobacterium abscessus has been virtually impossible to eradicate in people with cystic fibrosis. It can also be fatal if the patient needs a lung transplant as they are not eligible for surgery if the infection is present.
Commenting on their findings, lead author and doctoral student Victoria Nolan said:
“So far, the treatment of Mycobacterium abscessus lung infections can be problematic due to its drug-resistant nature. The variety of antibiotics needed to fight the infection lead to serious side effects.
“However, the use of this potential treatment combining amikacin and manuka honey shows great promise as an improved therapy for these terrible lung infections.
“There is a need for better treatment outcomes and in the future we hope this potential treatment can be tested further. »
Dr Jonathan Cox, Senior Lecturer in Microbiology, Aston University, said:
“By combining a completely natural ingredient such as manuka honey with amikacin, one of the most important yet toxic drugs used to treat Mycobacterium abscessus, we found a way to potentially kill these bacteria with eight times less drug than before. This has the potential to significantly reduce amikacin-associated hearing loss and dramatically improve the quality of life for so many patients, especially those with cystic fibrosis.
“I am delighted with the outcome of this research as it paves the way for future experiments and we hope that with funding we can move towards clinical trials which may lead to a change in strategy for the treatment of this debilitating infection. »
Dr Peter Cotgreave, Chief Executive of the Microbiology Society, said:
“The Microbiology Society is proud to support the scientific community as it explores innovative solutions to overcome the growing global challenge of antimicrobial resistance. This study demonstrates one of the many ways in which microbiologists are pioneering new methods to fight drug-resistant infections, in products, like manuka honey, in existing therapies. »
