Current scenario of traditional medicines in management of diabetic foot ulcers: A review

Table 3 Results of various trials that used honey topically

Ref.	Test group	Control group	Results
Shukrimi et al[57]	Honey	Povidone iodine	Mean time for "ready for surgical closure" 14.4 d in honey group vs 15.4 d in povidone group (P < 0.005). Less pain and faster improvement in oedema and foul exudation in honey group. No significant changes in bioburden isolation before and after therapy
Hammouri et al[69]	Honey and normal saline (n = 100)	Povidone and H2O2 (n = 100)	Mean healing time 21 (7-70) d, hospital stay 13 (7-42) d, and low treatment costs in honey group. In povidone group, the mean healing time was 32 (7-90) d with a mean hospital stay of 23 (7-56) d (P < 0.001)
Jan et al[70]	Honey (n = 50)	Povidone iodine (n = 50)	Faster wound healing at various intervals. Healing at end of 8-10 wk: All patients in honey group and 74% in povidone group (P < 0.0001). No difference in amputation rates
Imran et al[71]	Honey (n = 179)	Saline dressings (n = 169)	By 120 d, complete healing in 136 (75.97%) wounds in honey group vs 97 (57.39%) wounds in saline group (P < 0.001). Mean wound healing time: 18 (6-120) d in honey group vs 29 (7-120) d in saline group (P < 0.001)
Kamaratos et al[72]	Manuka honey (n = 32)	Saline dressings (n = 31)	No statistical difference in the total healed ulcers (97% in honey vs 90% in saline group). Mean healing time: 31 ± 4 d in honey group vs 43 ± 3 d in saline group (P < 0.05)
Al Saeed et al[73]	Honey (n = 32)	Tulle grass dressings (n = 27)	Faster wound healing in honey group than simple tulle grass dressings [(61.3% vs 11.5%; P < 0.05) at 6 wk and (87.1% vs 42.3%; P < 0.05) at 6 mo]. Hospital stay and incidence of amputation were also lower in honey group
Siavash et al[74]	5% Royal jelly (bee product)	Placebo	No statistical difference regarding size reduction and complete healing (P > 0.5)