Electrospinning of honey and propolis for wound care

Phytochemicals and naturally derived compounds, such as plant extracts and bee products, are regarded as complementary and alternative medicines for the treatment of skin wounds, due to their antibacterial, anti‐inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. In recent years, it has been shown that dressings impregnated with honey (particularly Manuka honey) are effective for the topical treatment of wounds and burns, and some of them are currently used in clinics. This has stimulated the development of more advanced dressings based on polymeric nanofibres that can release honey and other bee products (like propolis) to promote wound healing. In this review, the current literature on the electrospinning of honey and propolis is analyzed and the effectiveness of the resulting dressings to inhibit bacterial growth and stimulate cellular proliferation and tissue repair is discussed. Bee products are effective natural compounds for the treatment of skin wounds because they possess antibacterial, anti‐inflammatory, and antioxidant properties. In this review, the recent literature on the incorporation of honey and propolis in polymeric nanofibres is analysed for the development of advanced wound dressings. These polymeric nanofibrous membranes can release honey or propolis at a controlled rate to stop bacterial proliferation and stimulate tissue regeneration.