The antibacterial activity of natural honey on local isolates of diarrhea-causing bacteria

Abstract

This study was aimed to determine the antimicrobial effects of different  types of natural  honey on some diarrhea-causing bacteria these are Escherichia coli, and Shigella flexneri was investigated. The natural honey samples were effective in inhibiting the growth of investigated bacteria, with inhibition zone ranging from 24 to 32 mm, Shigella flexneri was the most effected bacteria, the differences among the test bacteria against three types honey were significant P< 0.05 for thyme honey benefit.

The antimicrobial effects of natural honey samples were compared with the antimicrobial effects of some antibiotics, the isolated bacteria were resistant to most of antibiotics except ciprofloxacin, gentamicin, chloramphenicol, and cefotaxime. The inhibition zone of ciprofloxacin treated bacteria was 30 mm, and of chloramphenicol treated  bacteria was25 mm, in comparison with inhibition zone (24-32mm) of honey samples,  the effect of honey was similar to that of antibiotics effect. Therefore the natural honey showed high efficiency on bacterial growth inhibition, these results encourage the interest to prepare pharmacological formula from the natural honey