A Comparative Study Between Honey and Alcohol as Topical Skin Disinfectant

Ain Shams University

Status: Enrolling

Conditions: Disinfectant Causing Toxic Effect

Treatments: Other: Honey sterilization; Other: Alcohol sterilization

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT05937412

MS 312/2022

Details and patient eligibility

About

Skin antisepsis is essential in every healthcare environment. Alcohol/chlorhexidine use might disrupt skin microbiota and lead to antibiotic resistance.

This study investigates honey (being natural product with many beneficial therapeutic effects) as topical skin anti-septic agent and compares it with alcohol, in terms of effectiveness and safety.

Full description

Recent years' investigations of the co-evolution and functional integration of the human body and its commensal microbiota have disclosed that the microbiome has a major impact on physiological functions including protection against infections.

Invasive procedures such as injections, punctures or surgeries penetrate the skin's natural protective barrier, which may allow pathogenic microorganisms to enter deeper skin layers and cavities and trigger infections there.

Alcohols usually in the form of 70% isopropyl alcohol or 60 to 80% ethyl alcohol, are commonly used topical disinfectants.

Despite being efficiently broad-spectrum antiseptic, Alcohol shows some local hazards affecting skin integrity and microbiome.

Honey has been used in wound care since ancient. It has many beneficial therapeutic effects, including anti-microbia, antioxidant, immune-modulator, wound healing and synbiotic effects .

Antimicrobial agents are important in reducing the burden of infectious diseases.

Enrollment: 70 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 2 to 12 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• • Children aged from 2 to 12 years, of both sexes, and with apparently healthy skin.
• Children, who did not receive any form of antimicrobial agent for at least one-week prior study.

Exclusion criteria

• • Immuno-compromised due to diseases or drugs.
• • Children having any skin disease as eczema or others

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Double Blind

---

70 participants in 2 patient groups

alcohol group

Active Comparator group

Description:

70% isopropyl alcohol will be topically applied and spread uniformly on a prespecified area of at least 3 cm x 3cm on the dorsum of the hand. A skin swab will be obtained from the selected skin area just before and 20 seconds after topical application of alcohol and honey.

Treatment:

Other: Alcohol sterilization

honey group

Active Comparator group

Description:

honey will be topically applied and spread uniformly on a prespecified area of at least 3 cm x 3cm on the dorsum of the hand. A skin swab will be obtained from the selected skin area just before and 20 seconds after topical application of alcohol and honey.

Treatment:

Other: Honey sterilization