This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: New research from the University of Sydney expands the potential medicinal benefits of honey and propolis (the plant resin and beeswax mixture bees use to build their nests) produced by Australia's stingless bees. Building on earlier research, a study led by Ph.D. candidate Jasmin Li tested the honey and propolis against bacterial and fungal pathogens.
The honey was active against all bacteria tested, including species that are a growing concern for antimicrobial resistance, such as hard-to-treat hospital bacteria Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Klebsiella pneumoniae. Australia's native stingless bees (sugarbag bees) have long been used in Indigenous medicine, but almost all medicinal honey research has focused on the European honey bee. For the study, now published in PLOS One, University of Sydney scientists tested honey and propolis from the native stingless bee Tetragonula carbonaria against 16 bacterial and fungal pathogens.
The honey stopped the growth of every bacterium tested, including hard-to-treat hospital bacteria, with potency comparable to medical-grade Manuka and Jarrah honeys. It was also active against the fungi that cause ringworm and athlete's foot. The propolis was highly potent but very selective, a pattern quite different from honey bee propolis.
Neither product's activity was explained by the usual known compounds, suggesting they contain as-yet unidentified antimicrobials that could be valuable leads for new drugs as resistance grows. "Now that we've shown how powerful sugarbag honey is, the next step is finding out what makes it so effective, because those compounds could offer new ways to tackle difficult infections," said co-author Dr. Kenya Fernandes from the university's Faculty of Science, who supervised the research.
Jasmin Li et al., The antibacterial and antifungal activity of honey and propolis from the Australian stingless bee Tetragonula carbonaria, PLOS One (2026). DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0361610 BA art history, MA material culture. Former museum editor, paramedic, and transplant coordinator.
Editing for Science X since 2021. Full profile → Master's in physics with research experience. Long-time science news enthusiast.
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