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The oxymel, a blend of honey and vinegar known for centuries, is said to be effective against infections. A remedy with historical roots, oxymel has been purported to heal infections. But how much scientific truth is there in this traditional pharmacopoeia? British researchers set out to investigate. Oxymel, a mixture of honey and vinegar, is a remedy that dates back at least to the Greek physician Hippocrates. In ancient times, it was recommended for treating infections and inflammations. It’s also mentioned in around forty medieval texts from the 9th to the 15th century as a treatment for various ailments or infections of the throat, eyes, mouth, or skin. But what exactly is the efficacy of this “grandmother’s remedy”?
Freya Harrison and her colleagues from the University of Warwick in England aimed to discern the reality behind this empirical treatment. They’ve published their findings in the Microbiology journal. Honey and vinegar both possess antiseptic and antibiotic properties.
Honey and vinegar have indeed been well-known for a long time for their antiseptic and antibiotic properties. But does combining the two make them even more potent than when used separately? Bacterial infections often prove difficult to treat due to the resilient biofilm that bacteria construct around wounds, effectively shielding them from treatments.
Indeed, when researchers applied small doses of medicinal honey to bacterial biofilms in the lab, the microorganisms survived. A similar disappointing outcome emerged when they used drops of acetic acid. However, when the two products were combined, it resulted in the death of a substantial number of bacteria. This indicates a formidable synergy between honey and pure acetic acid.
Red wine vinegar and pomegranate vinegar
The scientists were also interested to know if this latter mixture was as effective as natural vinegars. Further tests demonstrated that these vinegars must contain compounds contributing to their antibacterial properties, as, in general, the various tested vinegars were all more potent than pure acetic acid. Among the most effective were red wine vinegar, which synergized effectively with honey against Staphylococcus aureus, and pomegranate vinegar, which also revealed a potent synergy with honey to combat both Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa—two of the most aggressive bacteria in terms of nosocomial infections.
The researchers’ next step is to understand the mechanisms at play in the combination of vinegar and honey, as well as identifying the molecules contributing to this synergy. Having unveiled the scientific reality behind this ancient remedy, they are now poised to delve deeper into its potential applications.
In summary, oxymel—a mixture of honey and vinegar—has stood the test of time as a traditional remedy against infections. Contemporary research led by British scientists has unveiled the true power of this combination. With its already known antiseptic and antibiotic properties, honey and vinegar exhibit a synergy capable of combating stubborn bacterial infections. As researchers unravel the mechanisms behind this synergy, ancient wisdom might find new relevance in modern medical practices.
