Indonesian honey as a natural remedy: Accelerating wound healing in Staphylococcus-infected mice

Honey derived from different geographical and floral origins exhibits varying antibacterial properties, likely influenced by differences in chemical composition. Honey contains flavonoids, phenols, and various minerals that act as antioxidants, anti-inflammatory agents, antibacterial agents, and immune system boosters, promoting wound healing. In this study, Balb/c mice with normal blood glucose levels were inflicted with two circular full-thickness skin wounds and subsequently infected with Staphylococcus aureus. The wounds were treated with the following: hydrocolloid dressing alone as a control (Control group), hydrocolloid dressing with Java honey (Java group), hydrocolloid dressing with Kalimantan honey (Borneo group), and hydrocolloid dressing with East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) honey (NTT group). The results indicated that body weights were higher in the NTT and Borneo groups compared to other groups, though the differences were not statistically significant (p > 0.05). Exudate weight measurements revealed that the NTT group had the lowest exudate weight, while the control group had the highest. Daily wound area ratio measurements showed that the NTT group exhibited the smallest wound area ratio, whereas the control group had the largest (p < 0.05 on days 1–7). Leukocyte counts were lowest in the NTT group, but no significant differences were observed among the honey-treated groups (p > 0.05). However, a significant difference was observed when comparing the NTT group to the control group (p = 0.037). The NTT group also demonstrated superior performance in terms of re-epithelialization percentage and collagen deposition. Although no significant differences were found among the honey-treated groups on days 3 and 7 (p > 0.05), the NTT group showed statistically significant advantages compared to the control group (p < 0.05). These findings highlight the benefits of honey in wound treatment, with East Nusa Tenggara honey demonstrating the most significant advantages across multiple parameters.