MECHANISM OF ANTIBACTERIAL ACTION OF HONEY ON PATHOGENIC WOUND BACTERIAL STRAINS: A PROTEOMIC ANALYSIS

Honey has been a product that has received a growing attention in wound care. This study aimed to determine the potential efficacy of honey as antibacterial agent, and its role in improving wound infection combined with different antibiotics against wound pathogens. The susceptibility of methicillin sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA), methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) isolates to medical types of honey collected in KSA and to their combination with various antimicrobial compounds was determined. The effect of honey on the morphology of the strains was studied by using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). The mechanism of action of honey on the bacterial pathogens was assessed using Nanodrop 2000C. Results revealed critical discrepancies between the antibacterial activities of Honeys tested on the different isolates. Southern (SSH) and Yemen Sidr honey (YSH) showed the most potent results followed by multi-flower mountain honey. Different combinations of honey with antibiotics showed potent synergistic effect. SEM images demonstrated a clear change in the morphology of the isolates upon treatment with honey and total destruction of bacterial cells in honey antibiotic combination. Cellular proteins were released due to disruption in cell wall and cytoplasmic membrane in the supernatants of both MRSA and PA by both YSH and SSH treatments. An increase in MRSA membrane protein release by 0.550 and 0.640 mg/ml than the control was demonstrated for SSH and YSH, respectively. The PA membrane proteins released after treatment with honey were higher compared to that of the MRSA strain.