PerspectivesAre you interested in submitting a Perspective Article? Be sure to read The Science Advisory Board's Editorial Guides for Perspective Articles. Click here. Honey: An Anti-Aging Remedy to Keep you Healthy in a Natural Way by Tahira Farooqui, Ph.D. The Ohio State University Honey, a sweet and viscous fluid with a unique flavor, is produced by honeybees from the nectar of various flowers. Honey offers many medicinal uses described in traditional medicine, in addition to just commonly being used as a sweetener. Modern medicine also finds it efficacious in various medical and surgical conditions. The objective of this perspective is to discuss the chemical composition and pharmacological properties of honey that are responsible for its therapeutic uses, previously encountered as 'hidden miracles' of honey. Honey gets its sweetness from the monosaccharides, 'simple' 6-carbon sugars such as fructose (38.5%) and glucose (31.0%). Other sugars include maltose (7.3%), a 12-carbon sugar composed of 2 glucose molecules, and sucrose (1.3%), a 12-carbon sugar composed of a glucose and a fructose molecule. Unlike table sugar, honey contains several vitamins (vitamin B6, vitamin C, thiamin, niacin, riboflavin, and pantothenic acid), minerals (calcium, copper, manganese, phosphorous, magnesium, potassium, sodium and zinc), amino acids and antioxidants. Honey has a distinctive flavor and is 40% denser than water, with a density of 1.4 kg/l. Most microorganisms do not grow in honey because of its low water activity (~ 0.6) and high acidity (average pH 3.9). Honey frequently contains dormant endospores of the bacterium Clostridium botulinum, therefore honey can often be dangerous to infants due to ingestion of spores of C. botulinum together with food in their immature intestinal tracts, resulting in the production and the absorption of botulinic toxin that leads to infant botulism; a disease that results in a blockade of voluntary motor and autonomic functions causing illness and even death (Schocken-Iturrino et al., 1999). Honey poisoning has been seen in individuals in the Black Sea region of Turkey and in various other parts of the world, therefore, it should always be taken into consideration in the differential diagnosis of acute myocardial infarction (Choo et al., 2008) and in patients with symptoms such as vomiting, salivation, dizziness, weakness, hypotension and bradycardia several hours after the ingestion of small amounts of the toxic honey (Yilmaz et al., 2006). Honey poisoning in humans is caused by the consumption of toxic honey produced from the nectar of Rhododendron. The specific grayanotoxins vary with the plant species and cause honey intoxication. Grayanotoxin poisoning is rare in humans, but it should be anticipated everywhere. Honey contains a compound known as propolis, a natural product collected by honeybees from various plant sources. Propolis is one of the major hive products of honeybees, which protects them from bacterial and viral infections. In addition, propolis is now being used in many products, including toothpastes, mouth washes and skin creams. Propolis has a protective effect on ileal mucosa. It reduces bacterial translocation in the experimental obstructive model of jaundice (Sabuncuoglu et al., 2007). Propolis extracts have a wide multispectrum of activities, such as antimicrobial activity against a wide range of microorganisms (bacteria, fungi and viruses), antiinflammatory, anaesthetic, healing, vasoprotective, antioxidative, antitumoral, antiulcer and hepatoprotective activities. The antimicrobial properties of propolis, focusing on respiratory pathogens, make propolis a valid agent for treating upper respiratory tract infections (De Vecchi and Drago 2007). Propolis is rich in flavonoids (polyphenolic compounds), which are known for antioxidant activities. Chemical properties of flavonoids, in terms of the availability of the phenolic hydrogens as hydrogen donating radical scavengers, predict their antioxidant properties. In rat heart mitochondria, flavonoids show scavenging activity protecting against the peroxidative damage induced by the administration of an acute dose of doxorubicin (Alyane et al., 2008). This suggests that flavonoids in propolis have cardioprotective effects in doxorubicin-mediated cardiotoxicity. Antioxidant analyses of the different kinds of honey extract indicate that the water-soluble fraction contains most of the antioxidant components, including gluconic acid; ascorbic acid; hydroxymethylfuraldehyde; and activities of glucose oxidase, catalase and peroxidase. Thus, the antioxidant capacity of honey appears to be a result of the combined activity of a wide range of compounds including phenolics, peptides, organic acids, enzymes, Maillard reaction products and possibly other minor components. The phenolic compounds contribute significantly to the antioxidant capacity of honey, but are not solely responsible for it. Antioxidant properties of honey have made it greatly acceptable in meat products, where it not only retards the oxidation of meats, but also enhances its flavor. The antioxidant capacity of different kinds of honeys differs considerably in terms of protection against lipid oxidation. This is due to variation in their antioxidant contents of various kinds of honeys. Mixture of honey, beeswax and olive oil has been reported to inhibit growth of Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans isolated from human specimens (Al-Waili, 2005). The protective effects of honey supplementation on hepatic damage due to obstruction of the common bile duct have been recently demonstrated in an experimental rat model (Erguder et al., 2008). Honey is being used to treat individuals with diabetic neuropathic foot ulcers (Molan and Betts, 2008). No infection has been reported from the application of honey to open wounds. Honey offers a potential therapeutic role in the treatment of gingivitis and periodontal disease. Collectively, honey can be considered as an alternative treatment for clinical conditions ranging from gastrointestinal tract problems to ophthalmic conditions. A mixture of honey, olive oil, and beeswax has been shown to be clinically effective in reducing bleeding and relieving itching in patients with hemorrhoids (Al-Waili et al., 2006). In summary, honey is a common household product with many medicinal uses. It can be used as a traditional medicine for colds, skin inflammation and burn wounds as well as general health care. Its antimicrobial activity protects humans against a broad spectrum of bacterial species, especially those of medical importance. Presence of phenolic acids and flavonoids in honey seem to be the main causes, which provide the protective effect against reactive oxygen species production. Thus, honey may have potential use in reducing effects of acute and chronic free radical-mediated diseases, such as atherosclerosis, diabetes and cancer. Honey represents a healthy, easily digestible and naturally energy-rich food with many therapeutic properties. However, it is important that clinicians be familiar with the risk of infant botulism. Honey-containing products or supplements should not be recommended for infants. Additionally, honey intoxication caused by consuming leaves and flowers of the Rhododendron family should also be considered everywhere. References: Alyane, M., Kebsa, L.B., Boussenane, H., Rouibah, H., Lahouel, M., 2008. Cardioprotective effects and mechanism of action of polyphenols extracted from propolis against Doxorubicin toxicity. Pak. J. Pharm. Sci. 21, 201-209. Al-Waili, N.S., 2005. Mixture of honey, beeswax and olive oil inhibits growth of Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans. Arch. Med. Res. 36, 10-13. Al-Waili, N.S., Saloom, K.S., Al-Waili, T.N., Al-Waili, A.N., 2006. The safety and efficacy of a mixture of honey, olive oil, and beeswax for the management of hemorrhoids and anal fissure: a pilot study. ScientificWorldJournal 6, 1998-2005. Choo, Y.K., Kang, H.Y., Lim, S.H., 2008. Cardiac problems in mad-honey intoxication. Circ. J. 72, 1210-1211. De Vecchi, E., Drago, L., 2007. Propolis' antimicrobial activity: what's new? Infez. Med. 15, 7-15. Erguder, B.I., Kilicoglu, S.S., Namuslu, M., Kiliocoglu, B., Devrim, E., Kismet, K., Durak, I. 2008. Honey prevents hepatic damage induced by obstruction of the common bile duct. World J. Gasteroenterol. 14, 3729-3732. Molan, P.C., Betts, J.A., 2008. Using honey to heal diabetic foot ulcers. Adv. Skin Wound Care 21, 313-316. Schocken-Iturrino, R.P., Carneiro, M.C., Kato, E., Sorbara, J.O., Rossi, O.D., Gerbasi, L.E., 1999. Study of the presence of the spores of Clostridium botulinum in honey in Brazil. FEMS Immunol. Med. Microbiol. 24, 379-382. Sabuncuoglu, M.Z., Kismet, K., Kilicoglu, S.S., Kilicoglu, B., Erel, S., Muratglu, S., Sunay, A.E., Erdemli, E., Akkus, M.A., 2007. Propolis reduces bacterial translocation and intestinal villus atrophy in experimental obstructive jaundice. World J. Gastroenterol. 13, 5226-5231. Yilmaz, O., Eser, M., Sahiner, A., Altintop, L., Yesildag, O., 2006. Hypotension, bradycardia and syncope caused by honey poisoning. Resuscitation 68, 405-408. ### << Previous Next >> [ View All Perspectives ] |
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