Efficacy of natural honey in the healing of leg ulcers in sickle cell anaemia.

In order to assess the reported efficacy of natural honey in the healing of chronic ulcers, the efficacy of locally applied natural honey was compared to that of Eusol solution in an open trial involving 20 patients with sickle cell anaemia (SS) who were in steady clinical states and had chronic leg ulceration. All patients were admitted to hospital for the 4 week duration of the trial for bed rest, daily aseptic dressings, and weekly measurement of the size of the ulcer. Fifteen patients with a total of 19 leg ulcers were evaluable at the end of the trial. Eleven ulcers were dressed with honey while 8 were dressed with Eusol. No significant differences were found in rates of healing of the ulcers in either treatment groups. This trial does not support the suggestion that natural honey is superior to Eusol in the healing of chronic sickle cell leg ulceration.