Authors

  1. Harrison, Jeanine MN, BScN, ACNP, RN-EC, NP

Abstract

Many mainstream medications were derived from plants and originally utilized in patient management well prior to the extensive research and testing processes of current pharmaceutical standards. The evolution of therapeutic management within the pharmaceutical and skin care industry often uses synthetic processing of products with less of a focus on the natural ingredients from which they were originally derived. However, more recently there has been a shift in pharmacological management to include the therapeutic use of more holistic medicines and practices and thus a broadening of the uses of nontraditional medical treatment options. This has been seen in the use of treatments, such as Manuka honey, for skin conditions and dermal injuries. It is often with off-label uses, or conditions resistant to other treatments, that then prompt the use of holistic products and the true value of the product is validated. As with the following case study, the example of the use of Manuka honey on a severe atopic contact dermatitis eczematous reaction provides further documentation and supportive evidence of the potential efficacy of the properties of this particular natural product.