Principelle aims to produce high quality base ointment, or medical grade honey, and enrich this towards different end-products such as Principelle IF, MelMax, Celan, and Pelsan+.

Honey is a most valued natural product not only for consumption, but also for its healing properties. Records of wounds being covered with honey stretch back to ancient Egypt, and Dioscorides (50 AD) reported honey to be “good for all rotten and hollow ulcers”. Honey has recently been ‘rediscovered’ by the medical profession. Many publications have appeared that describe honey to rapidly clear infection of wounds with no adverse effects. Moreover, honey may actively promote the wound-healing process. Research to support the clinical observations has mainly been focused on the antibacterial properties of honey. It has been shown that certain types of honey stop bacteria from growing – even strains such as MRSA (multiple-resistant Staphylococcus aureus) being resistant to ‘last resort’ antibiotics such as vancomycin. 

 

Which works better? Silver or Medical-grade Honey?

Both silver and medical-grade use are now widely used in advanced wound care products. Broadly, they are both targeted towards the same clinical condition. Contaminated and infected wounds and stagnating wounds. Silver coins were used in the Middle-Ages to purify water. Silver nitrate was recognised as an antiseptic in the 19th century. Silver sulphadiazine cream (SSDC) first appeared in 1968. Honey was already used in ancient Egypt. The emergence of penicillin and other antibiotics resulted in its neglect for some time. Bacterial resistance caused a renewed interest in honey, especially since toxicity, delayed tissue formation, and bacterial resistance are not associated with its use. As knowledge about biofilms in wounds increases, it is expected that honey-based products are targeted towards this complex problem.

Honey:

In-vitro studies have demonstrated that natural honey has a comparable antibacterial efficacy to silver, yet it has none of the cytotoxicity related to silver use, especially affecting keratinocytes and fibroblasts essential for tissue repair. Furthermore, Frazer et al (2004) and Poon (2004) have shown similar evidence of keratinocyte cytotoxicity upon exposure to silver. Natural honey by comparison was not shown to be toxic and favoured cell proliferation and angiogenesis. Natural honey has long been recognized for its antimicrobial activities, both in in-vitro and in-vivo studies. Its texture, water content, and constituents makes it an ideal cost-effective dressing. Natural honey has been shown to exert a broad range of antimicrobial activity against bacteria, fungi and viruses. Wound infection is often caused by Gram positive bacteria, and a very low concentration of natural honey has been shown to be effective in inhibiting the growth of Staphylococcus aureus, the most common cause of wound infection. Furthermore, natural honey inhibits the growth of vancomycin resistant staphylococcus aureus (VRSA), methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and coagulase negative staphylococci.

 

Indications for Principelle are:

Acute wounds:

  • Burns
  • Surgical wounds
  • Traumatic wounds

Other acute wounds where fast epithelialisation is required

Chronic wounds:

  • Decubitus
  • Cavities
  • Ulcera cruris
  • Diabetic ulcers

In conjunction with corticosteroid us