Published Sunday, 03 February, 2008 at 12:00 AM
Premier
The Honourable Anna Bligh
Sweet deal for Queensland
A world leader in the medical application of honey will begin a trial plantation of honey-producing trees adjacent to the Traveston Crossing Dam site, south of Gympie.
“Not only could the dam offer us a water solution, but a medical breakthrough is on offer as well,” said the Premier.
The announcement also coincides with Medihoney’s parent company Comvita establishing its Australian headquarters in Brisbane’s Technology Park.
Premier Anna Bligh said Medihoney had reached agreement with Queensland Water Infrastructure, the company building several major water infrastructure projects in SEQ, to source land for the trial.
“Land adjacent to the Traveston Crossing Dam site will be identified and set aside for Medihoney to progress a research and development tree planting trial to produce medical honeys,” she said.
“In turn, the trees will provide carbon offsets to the dam project helping to ensure the dam construction is carbon neutral.”
The purpose of the trial is to develop trees that yield a greater quantity of nectar containing enhanced levels of the anti-bacterial components.
Medihoney Director of Science and Strategic Development Anthony Moloney said the honey has specialised anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties that have medical application in wound care, skin care and oral therapeutics.
“It works by providing a wound healing environment that supports healing while protecting against harmful bacteria. Clinical trials in Australia, North America, Europe and Asia are being hailed a great success,” he said.
Medihoney is a mixture of two honeys containing glucose oxidase and Leptospermum honey which contribute to its antibacterial activity. A least 79 species of Leptospermum have been described in Australia and New Zealand.
The Premier said the trial would enable Medihoney to conduct research and gain a greater understanding of the different types of species and their aptitude for local conditions.
“This is an innovative program that will provide Medihoney with a significant advantage in the commercial application of their products on a global scale.”
Medihoney’s products are recognised by the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods, are CE marked for sale into Europe and have US FDA approval. The trial would be part of a 2000 hectare timber plantation foreshadowed as part of the Traveston Crossing Dam project.
Media contact: Premier’s Office 3224 4500
Wound Care Case Study
(Source: Medical Honey for Wound Care—Still the ‘Latest Resort’? Arne Simon, Kirsten Traynor, Kai Santos, Gisela Blaser, Udo Bode and Peter Molan, January 2008)
In our paediatric oncology department at the Children’s Hospital Medical Centre, University of Bonn, Germany most patients suffer from a profoundly suppressed immune system, due to their underlying disease (i.e. leukemia) (1) and the chemotherapy they undergo.
This frequently results in wound healing problems (2,3), leaving the patient susceptible to wound infections.
Unfortunately these infections spread easily in immunocompromized patients and can cause secondary potentially life-threatening bloodstream infections (4).
Five years ago a 12-year old patient was submitted to our unit. Doctors at another hospital had removed an abdominal lymphoma, leaving an open drainage site on his abdomen. On admission, his wound was infected with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). In order to avoid nosocomial spread, the patient was immediately isolated, a difficult situation for the child to comprehend with significant additional costs from the perspective of the hospital. Although the patient was scheduled to receive chemotherapy, treatment could not
commence until the infection cleared. The wound was treated with a local antiseptic (octenidin) for 12 days.
Since no improvement occurred, we decided to use an Australian medical honey MedihoneyTM), which contains leptospermum honey, a type with excellent in vitro activity against MRSA (5–7). The wound was free of bacteria two days later, and the chemotherapy against the underlying illness could be started.
“Not only could the dam offer us a water solution, but a medical breakthrough is on offer as well,” said the Premier.
The announcement also coincides with Medihoney’s parent company Comvita establishing its Australian headquarters in Brisbane’s Technology Park.
Premier Anna Bligh said Medihoney had reached agreement with Queensland Water Infrastructure, the company building several major water infrastructure projects in SEQ, to source land for the trial.
“Land adjacent to the Traveston Crossing Dam site will be identified and set aside for Medihoney to progress a research and development tree planting trial to produce medical honeys,” she said.
“In turn, the trees will provide carbon offsets to the dam project helping to ensure the dam construction is carbon neutral.”
The purpose of the trial is to develop trees that yield a greater quantity of nectar containing enhanced levels of the anti-bacterial components.
Medihoney Director of Science and Strategic Development Anthony Moloney said the honey has specialised anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties that have medical application in wound care, skin care and oral therapeutics.
“It works by providing a wound healing environment that supports healing while protecting against harmful bacteria. Clinical trials in Australia, North America, Europe and Asia are being hailed a great success,” he said.
Medihoney is a mixture of two honeys containing glucose oxidase and Leptospermum honey which contribute to its antibacterial activity. A least 79 species of Leptospermum have been described in Australia and New Zealand.
The Premier said the trial would enable Medihoney to conduct research and gain a greater understanding of the different types of species and their aptitude for local conditions.
“This is an innovative program that will provide Medihoney with a significant advantage in the commercial application of their products on a global scale.”
Medihoney’s products are recognised by the Australian Register of Therapeutic Goods, are CE marked for sale into Europe and have US FDA approval. The trial would be part of a 2000 hectare timber plantation foreshadowed as part of the Traveston Crossing Dam project.
Media contact: Premier’s Office 3224 4500
Wound Care Case Study
(Source: Medical Honey for Wound Care—Still the ‘Latest Resort’? Arne Simon, Kirsten Traynor, Kai Santos, Gisela Blaser, Udo Bode and Peter Molan, January 2008)
In our paediatric oncology department at the Children’s Hospital Medical Centre, University of Bonn, Germany most patients suffer from a profoundly suppressed immune system, due to their underlying disease (i.e. leukemia) (1) and the chemotherapy they undergo.
This frequently results in wound healing problems (2,3), leaving the patient susceptible to wound infections.
Unfortunately these infections spread easily in immunocompromized patients and can cause secondary potentially life-threatening bloodstream infections (4).
Five years ago a 12-year old patient was submitted to our unit. Doctors at another hospital had removed an abdominal lymphoma, leaving an open drainage site on his abdomen. On admission, his wound was infected with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). In order to avoid nosocomial spread, the patient was immediately isolated, a difficult situation for the child to comprehend with significant additional costs from the perspective of the hospital. Although the patient was scheduled to receive chemotherapy, treatment could not
commence until the infection cleared. The wound was treated with a local antiseptic (octenidin) for 12 days.
Since no improvement occurred, we decided to use an Australian medical honey MedihoneyTM), which contains leptospermum honey, a type with excellent in vitro activity against MRSA (5–7). The wound was free of bacteria two days later, and the chemotherapy against the underlying illness could be started.