In vitro study of honey antimicrobial activity Daniela Moţ 1University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine, Faculty of Animal Sciences and Biotechnologies, 300645Timişoara, 119 Aradului Way, Romania Abstract From ancient times honey was

Abstract From ancient times honey was renowned for healing properties both in internal consumption and of external applications.  Samples of non-standardized honey obtained direct from beekeeper was used in a study using a method of growth inhibition in the culture medium of microorganisms. In this aim were been chosen a few of high pathogenic bacterial species implicated in severe infection both in animals and human: Bacillus subtilis, Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella typhimurium, Enterococcus faecium and Pasteurella haemolytica. The zone diameter of inhibition (ZDI) was the most developed with the highest value in the case of Bacillus subtilis (35 mm) and the lowest value was obtained in the case of Salmonella typhimurium (21 mm). Also in a diluted sample of honey was calculated the total number of bacteria colonies, then was inoculated material from a culture of Staphylococcus aureus . After bacteria inoculation was calculated again the total number of bacteria colonies and then the samples were been maintained in thermostat (37 o C) 12 hours and was repeated the counting of total number of bacteria colonies. In comparison with the value obtained at first counting of bacteria colonies after inoculating of Staphylococcus aureus culture (1326 colonies/milliliter), at the second counting the obtained value was nearly half (698 bacteria colonies/milliliter) from this one. All these demonstrate the antibacterial activity of honey apparently due to some bactericidal factors in its composition.