I am a trained biomedical scientist, and Im also looking into the effects of manuka honey after reading your interesting post, anything that may help with my anxiety is worth a try.
I searched PUBMED a scientific medical research website where you can access a variety of scientific publications or soon to be published scientific journals on theory and research.
However I stumbled upon this article from :
REFERENCE
http://www.manukahoney.co.uk/article1.html
By Peter Molan, PhD
Associate Professor of Biochemistry and Director of the Honey Research Unit University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
Approximately 50 reports in medical journals detail the effectiveness of honey as a wound dressing and as therapy for eye infections and diarrhea 1, 3.
Honey has an antibacterial activity, due primarily to hydrogen peroxide formed in a "slow-release" manner by the enzyme glucose oxidase present in honey, which can vary widely in potency. Some honeys are no more antibacterial than sugar, while others can be diluted more than 100-fold and still halt the growth of bacteria. The difference in potency of antibacterial activity found among the different honeys is more than 100-fold.
"Active manuka honey" (and its Australian equivalent) is the only honey available for sale that is tested for its antibacterial activity. It contains an additional antibacterial component found only in honey produced from
Leptospermum plants: "unique manuka factor" (UMF). There is evidence that the 2 antibacterial
components may have a synergistic action.
Unique manuka factor is not affected by the catalase enzyme present in body tissue and serum. This enzyme will break down, to some degree, the hydrogen peroxide which is the major antibacterial factor found in other types of honey. If a honey without UMF were used to treat an infection, the potency of the honey's antibacterial activity would most likely be reduced because of the action of catalase.
The enzyme that produces hydrogen peroxide in honey is destroyed when honey is exposed to heat and light. However, UMF is stable, so there is no concern about manuka honey losing its activity in storage.
Honey with UMF is more effective than that with hydrogen peroxide against some types of bacteria. For example, active mauka honey with UMF is about twice as effective as other honey against Eschericihia coli and Staphylococcus aureus4, 5, the most common causes of infected wounds.
Which clarifies to some degree the impact of heat on the enzymes with manuka honey.
However anything thing that ends in ase is an enzyme and enzymes have a vary narrow temperature range at which they work!!!!!
Between 35 - 40*C is the optimum, the best activity temperature for generally most enzymes HOWEVER some enzymes like those found in hot springs work best at up to 100*C. Soo each enzyme has it's o specific optimum range.
As a rule of thumb, I think just to be on the safe side, not to heat or warm Manuka UMF any higher than 40*C.
Or the enzyme could break apart or become altered ( denature) and will not
work as well or will not work at all in extreme temperatures.
I'm sure that manufactures would be able to supply us with more in depth info if we needed it and its well known that individuals like to add honey to tea etc, so I'm sure this info as to heat or not to if it was honey to take for health benefits, woyld be stated on the container.
I would still be reluctant to heat it though, I think 40*c and below is best.
Hope this helps X