Manuka Honey Organic

Manuka Honey and Fungal Infections: A Research Review

By Bart Magera
Is Manuka honey antifungal: jar with chemistry test tubes

In-vitro research has shown Manuka honey is active against several common fungal pathogens. As with the antibacterial evidence, the laboratory finding is robust; the clinical translation to human treatments is less established.

What the laboratory evidence shows

Theunissen, Grobler and Gedalia (2001, Apidologie) demonstrated that several South African honeys, including a high-activity sample comparable to Manuka, were active against Candida albicans in vitro.

Carnwath, Graham, Reynolds and Pollock (2014, The Veterinary Journal) showed Manuka honey was active in vitro against equine wound bacterial isolates that included opportunistic fungal contaminants. Effectiveness varied by isolate.

The mechanism is consistent with Manuka's broader profile: MGO content drives non-peroxide antimicrobial activity that extends, in vitro, to fungi as well as bacteria.

The clinical translation gap

In-vitro activity does not automatically translate to clinical efficacy on a human fungal infection. Existing antifungal medications (clotrimazole, miconazole, terbinafine, fluconazole and similar) have established clinical evidence and known dose-response relationships. Manuka honey does not.

For superficial fungal skin infections, established topical antifungals work in days at low cost. There is no clinical trial evidence that Manuka is faster, safer, or as effective.

What this means for buyers

  • If you have a confirmed fungal infection, established antifungal treatments have stronger evidence than honey.
  • The laboratory antifungal activity of Manuka is real but does not currently support specific in-home anti-fungal-treatment protocols.
  • Higher-MGO Manuka has more of the studied active compound (see MGO explained).

Sources

  • Theunissen F, Grobler S, Gedalia I. The antifungal action of three South African honeys on Candida albicans. Apidologie. 2001;32(4):371-379.
  • Carnwath R, Graham EM, Reynolds K, Pollock PJ. The antimicrobial activity of honey against common equine wound bacterial isolates. The Veterinary Journal. 2014;199(1):110-114.
  • Carter DA, Blair SE, Cokcetin NN, et al. Therapeutic Manuka Honey: No Longer So Alternative. Frontiers in Microbiology. 2016;7:569.