The buzz around Manuka: Nature's most surprising foot-care ally

Sales Team
Canonbury
11 Feb 2026

THE BUZZ AROUND MANUKA:NATURE’S MOST SURPRISING FOOT-CARE ALLY

If you’ve spent any time browsing health shelves, online or in-clinic, you’ll have noticed a certain ingredient creating quite a… buzz. Manuka has quietly migrated from the wellness world into clinical skincare, wound management, and now podiatry. But despite its popularity, few people could confidently explain what it actually is, why it’s different, or why podiatrists are suddenly paying attention. So, let’s lift the lid on the pot. Or the hive.

What Is Manuka, Really?

Manuka comes from the Leptospermum scoparium plant, native to New Zealand. When bees forage on its small white-topink flowers, they create Manuka honey, a substance that’s been studied for decades for its unusual biological activity. One compound in particular, methylglyoxal (MGO), appears in strikingly high concentrations compared to other honeys.

Meanwhile, the leaves and stems of the same plant can be steam-distilled to create Manuka oil, an essential oil rich in β-triketones, compounds known for their antimicrobial properties.

Think of Manuka as one species with two distinct personalities:

Honey = soothing, osmotic, woundsupporting
Oil = antimicrobial, odour-neutralising, skinpenetrating

Both come from the same plant. Both deliver therapeutic value. But they work in completely different ways.

Only one of them can be classified as medical grade: Manuka honey, when purified and processed correctly.

Why Is Manuka Suddenly Everywhere?

In short: because the science finally caught up with the folklore.

Manuka honey has long been used in traditional medicine, but only in the last decade have researchers begun mapping its biochemical behaviour with precision. Companies like ManukaMed, based in New Zealand and widely recognised as leaders in honey science, have helped establish evidence-based uses in wound care and tissue management. Their medical-grade honey is monofloral, purified, and produced with strict quality control, all of which ensures consistent activity levels.

As research has grown, so has awareness. Clinicians have become more confident using Manuka-based products because the mechanisms of action are now better understood and more clearly documented.

And there’s a trend element too. Patients already trust Manuka as a natural ingredient, and podiatrists are finding that ‘natural’ and ‘evidence-based’ don’t have to be mutually
exclusive.

Manuka Oil vs Manuka Honey - What’s the Difference?

Here’s the nutshell version.

Manuka Honey

Medical-grade Manuka honey contains a complex blend of bioactive components. In clinical settings, it is associated with:

Decreased biofilm
Lower wound-bed pH, creating a more favourable environment
Increased plasmin activity, helping loosen slough and necrotic tissue
No cytotoxicity
Support for natural healing processes
It works primarily through:
Debridement support, thanks to plasmin activation
A moist, protective environment, which reduces disruption to new tissue

Manuka Oil

Manuka oil, in contrast, is all about its antimicrobial activity. Rich in β-triketones, it has been used for decades in managing fungal and bacterial challenges, making it a natural fit for foot-care regimes.

FunghiClear highlights that Manuka oil:

is 100% natural
contains no pharmacological agents
supports management of fungal-related nail issues
helps promote healthy regrowth of brittle or discoloured nails
has been used safely in hundreds of clinical observations

Honey is the gentle healer.
Oil is the strong defender.
Together, they’re quite the double act.

Quick Guide - Manuka Honey vs Manuka Oil

Feature	Manuka Honey	Manuka Oil
Source	Nectar from Manuka flowers	Leaves & stems of the Manuka plant
Key Compounds	MGO, antioxidants, enzymes	β-triketones
Used For	Wounds, skin protection, tissue support	Antimicrobial support, fungal-related concerns
Mode of Action	Osmotic effect, pH reduction, slough loosening	Surface-level antimicrobial properties
Feel	Thick, soothing, moisturelocking	Lightweight aromatic oil

The Science - in Human Terms

No need to dust off your microbiology textbooks. Here’s the simplified version.

Why Honey Works

Manuka honey’s low pH and high sugar concentration create an environment where microbes struggle to thrive. Its osmotic action pulls fluid into the wound bed, assisting natural debridement. Meanwhile, compounds like MGO help reduce biofilm, one of the biggest obstacles in chronic wound care.

ManukaMed data highlights improved plasmin activity, which supports tissue renewal and helps loosen devitalised material.

Why Oil Works

Manuka oil contains β-triketones - potent molecules that give the oil a strong antimicrobial effect. In FunghiClear, this
makes the oil especially useful in daily routines supporting healthier-looking nails in cases of fungal-related changes. The product’s clinical data shows improvements in nail appearance within 12 weeks, with patients reporting it easy to apply and pleasant to use.

Think of honey as the environment-builder… and oil as the bouncer standing at the door.

Why Podiatry Is Adopting Manuka Now

Podiatrists deal with three things daily:

compromised skin integrity
persistent microbial challenges
patients who want options that feel safe and natural

Manuka fits all three.

For wound-focused clinicians

Medical-grade Manuka honey offers a valuebased, evidence-supported way to support the wound bed, reduce disruptive factors like slough or pH imbalance, and maintain a moist environment. ManukaMed’s products are designed exactly for this purpose, using monofloral honey processed to safe clinical standards.

For nail and skin practitioners

Manuka oil (as in FunghiClear) provides a natural, easy-to-use addition to fungalmanagement routines without pharmacological effects. The clinical evidence points to improvements in nail appearance and reduced severity scores after regular use.

For domiciliary practitioners

Both forms of Manuka travel well and are straightforward for patients to use at home, making them easy for clinicians to build into everyday foot-care routines.

The Science at a Glance.

Why Clinicians Are Paying Attention

Supports wound environments with reduced biofilm and lower pH
Helps loosen slough and debris through osmotic action
Promotes increased plasmin activity for natural debridement
No cytotoxicity (honey)
Antimicrobial properties (oil)
Patients perceive both honey and oil as natural and gentle
Easy for clinicians to integrate into existing routines

Sweet Science, Serious Potential

Manuka’s rise in foot care isn’t a fad. It’s the result of growing evidence, better processing and a shift in what clinicians (and patients) expect from topical products.

Whether it’s the soothing, clinically supported impact of medical-grade Manuka honey or the antimicrobial strength of Manuka oil, this once-niche ingredient is rapidly establishing itself
as a trusted ally for modern podiatry.

So yes, there’s a bit of buzz about it. But for good reason.