Surgeons at AIIMS published a paper in the Indian Journal of Surgery, which showed that using honey (procured from beehives on neem trees) healed wounds better and faster than povidone-iodine (betadine), standard ointment used in such cases. Dr Anurag Srivastava, head of surgery at AIIMS, says that there was significant decrease in the surface area of the wound and pain in the group, where honey was used as wound dressing.
[Times of India 16. Feb 2014]Abstract of article published in Indian Journal of Surgery:
To compare the healing of chronic wounds with honey dressing vs. Povidone iodine dressing in adult subjects with chronic wounds of ≥6 weeks of duration, attending wound care clinic in Surgical Out Patient Department of All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Surgical Out Patient Department of Jai Prakash Narayan Apex Trauma center, New Delhi. Forty five subjects were randomized into two groups i.e., Honey & Povidone iodine dressing group. Dressing was done on alternate day basis for 6 weeks of followup period. Main outcome measure was complete healing at 6 weeks. Wound healing status was assessed at 2 weekly intervals till 6 weeks. Seven out of 22 subjects in honey treated group achieved complete healing as compared to none out of 20 subjects in Povidone iodine treated group. There was a significant decrease in the wound surface area, pain score & increase in comfort score in Honey dressing group in comparison to the Povidone Iodine group at 0.05 level of significance. Honey dressing is highly effective in achieving healing in chronic wounds as compared to Povidone iodine dressing.
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