A Comparative Study Between Honey and Alcohol as Topical Skin Disinfectant

Not Applicable

Recruiting

• Conditions: Disinfectant Causing Toxic Effect
• Interventions: Other: Honey sterilization; Other: Alcohol sterilization

• Registration Number: NCT05937412
• Lead Sponsor: Ain Shams University

Brief Summary

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.

Detailed 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.

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2022-12-10
• Study First Submitted QC: 2023-07-06
• Study First Posted: 2023-07-10
• Study Start: 2023-08-30
• Status Verified: 2025-04
• Last Update Submitted: 2025-05-06
• Last Update Posted: 2025-05-07
• Primary Completion: 2025-07-15
• Study Completion: 2025-08-28

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 70

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

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
honey group	Honey sterilization	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.
alcohol group	Alcohol sterilization	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.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Assess efficacy of honey as a disinfectant in comparison to the standard disinfectant which is alcohol	3 months	taking a swab from skin for culture of organisms after application of either alcohol or honey and compare type of organisms and number of colony forming units

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Ain Shams University, Cairo; 🇪🇬 Cairo, Egypt