Can Kanuka Honey Treat Cold Sores?
Last month the NHS website published a news story detailing how a certain type of honey was as effective a cold sore treatment as the antiviral drug acyclovir.
It examined the results of a randomised study of 1,000 adults and reported that “there was no significant difference” in the time taken for a cold sore to heal when treated with either kanuka honey or acyclovir. Cold sores treated with acyclovir took eight days to heal, while those treated with kanuka honey took nine; the trial did not include a non-treated control group.
Kanuka honey
Like its near-namesake manuka honey, kanuka honey comes from New Zealand and is derived from a shrub-like tree species. For some purposes, kanuka honey is even more potent than manuka honey. It has been shown to be useful in treating eczema, acne and other conditions and has promise as an immunostimulant.
Cold sores typically occur just inside or just around the outside of the mouth and are spread by close contact such as kissing.
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