Honey, a prospective antibiotic: extraction, formulation, and stability.

Old and recent reports show that honey has beneficial effects on the skin as antiseptic for wounds, burns and ulcers and as a healing promoter. Many investigators confirmed the usefulness of honey in the treatment of skin infections as well as internal diseases. The factors behind these effects are not completely explained. The aim of this study is: a) to investigate the antimicrobial activity of crude honey, b) to separate the fractions responsible for its activity, c) to formulate the honey extract as semisolid dosage forms, d) to study its release, and e) to determine its stability. The results showed that the ethylacetate honey extract showed antibacterial, anticandida and antifungal effects at low concentration. The release of honey extract from different ointment bases was depending on the constituents of the base, and its stability was found to be temperature and base dependent.