Safety of Manuka honey CycloPower ophthalmic cream

None listed

Blepharitis, or inflammation of the eyelid, is a common, debilitating and chronic condition. This disease manifests clinically as either anterior blepharitis affecting the front portion of the eyelid and the eyelashes, or posterior blepharitis which involves the inner eyelid. Posterior blepharitis is usually caused by dysfunction of the lipid-producing meibomian glands in the eyelid and both types of blepharitis increase the susceptibility of the eyelids to over-colonisation by bacteria. Existing treatments for eyelid disease are costly and ineffective, and no readily and commercially available ophthalmic product targets both the bacterial and inflammatory disease processes. Both the anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory effects of New Zealand native Manuka honey have been proven, and it has been shown in research conducted in collaboration with Medihoney Antibacterial Honey (Medihoney Pty Ltd., Australia) that a honey-based ophthalmic formation may have a therapeutic effect in blepharitis and meibomian gland dysfunction (MGD). Therefore, there is a clear rationale for developing a novel ophthalmic product based on New Zealand native Manuka honey for reducing the bacterial load, and the level of inflammation in blepharitis and MGD. We identified the species of bacteria present on the eyelids of people affected by eyelid disease and demonstrated that Manuka Honey with CycloPower has an anti-bacterial effect on these specific microorganisms. Subsequently, we developed a formulation of Manuka Honey with CycloPower suitable for use externally around the eye and the safety and lack of toxicity of this product was demonstrated first in a corneal epithelial cell line in vitro, and then in vivo in an animal study. Thus, we hypothesise that the use of Manuka Honey with CycloPower may be safe and well tolerated in healthy human volunteers in this present trial.