Evaluation of Antimicrobial Activity of Methylglyoxal -The Major Antibacterial Component of Manuka Honey

Methylglyoxal (MGO) is the major antibacterial compound in manuka honey, which is formed by a non-enzymatic conversion of nectar-derived dihydroxyacetone. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of MGO on Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus. Purchased MGO (Sigma-Aldrich) was used for all tests. Disc diffusion test was used for evaluating the antimicrobial activity of MGO. The results showed that each tested bacteria species is susceptible to MGO solutions significantly. Statistical analyses revealed that S. aureus is the most and P. aeruginosa is the least susceptible bacterial strain to MGO solutions. The results of this study are encouraging, and further studies are necessary to study out MGO’s potential