MEDICINAL USES OF HONEY

Historically, honey has been used by humans both orally and topically to treat various
ailments including gastric disturbances, ulcers, wounds, and burns. However, it is only
recently that the mechanisms underlying the antiseptic and antibacterial properties of
honey have come to be understood. Much scientific research has been performed, with
emphasis of late on fighting infections in wounds.[79][8] !ntibacterial constituents and
mechanisms identified include hydrogen pero"ide #H$%$&, methylglyo"al #M'%&, bee
defensin(), the osmotic effect, and pH effects.[8)]
*n !yurveda, a +(year(old treatise on medicine originating from *ndia, honey is
considered to positively affect all three primitive material imbalances of the body.
,hara-a and .ushruta applied honey to dressings for sores.[/+] 01aatalam guru sheetam
cha ra-tapitta-aphapaham2 .andhatru cchedanam ru-sham -ashayam madhuram madhu22
0*t has sweetness with added astringent as end taste. *t is heavy, dry and cold. *ts effect on
doshas #imbalances& is that it aggravates vata #air 3 moving forces&, scrapes -apha #mucus
3 holding forces& and normali4es pitta #catabolic fire& and ra-ta #blood&. *t promotes the
healing process.0
5he /rd century 'ree- philosopher ,elsus used mi"es of honey and bran to treat burns.
[/+]
.ome wound gels which contain antibacterial raw honey and have regulatory approval
are now available to help treat drug(resistant strains of bacteria #M6.!&.[citation needed]
%ne 7ew 8ealand researcher says a particular type of honey #manu-a honey& may be
useful in treating M6.! infections.[8$]
!s an antimicrobial agent honey is useful in treating a variety of ailments. !ntibacterial
properties of honey are the result of the low water activity causing osmosis, chelation of
free iron, its slow release of hydrogen pero"ide,[8/] high acidity,[8+] and the
antibacterial activity of methylglyo"al.[89]
Honey appears to be effective in -illing drug(resistant biofilms which are implicated in
chronic rhinosinusitis.[8:]
Osmotic effect
Honey has an osmotic effect.[87] Honey is primarily a saturated mi"ture of two
monosaccharides, with a low water activity; most of the water molecules are associated
with the sugars and few remain available for microorganisms, so it is a poor environment
for their growth. *f water is mi"ed with honey, it loses its low water activity, and therefore
no longer possesses this antimicrobial property.[citation needed]
Hydrogen pero"ide[edit]
Hydrogen pero"ide is formed in a slow(release manner by the en4yme glucose o"idase
present in honey. *t becomes active only when honey is diluted, re<uires o"ygen to be
available for the reaction #thus it may not wor- under wound dressings, in wound cavities
or in the gut&, is active only when the acidity of honey is neutrali4ed by body fluids, can
be destroyed by the protein(digesting en4ymes present in wound fluids, and is destroyed
when honey is e"posed to heat and light.[89] Honey chelates and deactivates free iron,
which would otherwise cataly4e the formation of o"ygen free radicals from hydrogen
pero"ide, leading to inflammation. !lso, the antio"idant constituents in honey help clean
up o"ygen free radicals present.[88]
,:H)$%: = H$% = %$ > ,:H)$%7 = H$%$ #glucose o"idase reaction&
?hen honey is used topically #as, for e"ample, a wound dressing&, hydrogen pero"ide is
produced by dilution of the honey with body fluids. !s a result, hydrogen pero"ide is
released slowly and acts as an antibacterial.[89]
@se for diabetic ulcers[edit]
5opical honey has been used successfully in a comprehensive treatment of diabetic ulcers
when the patient cannot use topical antibiotics.
Acidity
5he pH of honey is commonly between /.$ and +.9.[8+] 5his relatively acidic pH level
prevents the growth of many bacteria.
Methylglyo"al[edit]
5he nonpero"ide antibiotic activity is due to methylglyo"al #M'%& and bee defensin().
[9)] Most honeys contain very low levels of M'%, but manu-a honey contains very high
levels. 5he presence of the synergist in manu-a honey more than doubles M'%
antibacterial activity.
Nutraceutical effects
!ntio"idants in honey have even been associated with reducing the damage done to the
colon in colitis in a study involving administering honey enemas to rats.[9$] .uch claims
are consistent with its use in many traditions of fol- medicine.[9/]
@se for sore throats and coughs[edit]
Honey has also been used for centuries as a treatment for sore throats and coughs and,
according to recent research, may be an effective soothing agent for coughs.[9+]
%ther medical applications[edit]
@nfiltered, pasteuri4ed honey is widely believed to alleviate allergies, though neither
commercially filtered nor raw honey was shown to be more effective than placebo in a
controlled study of /: participants with ocular allergies.[99] 7early ) in / of the
volunteers dropped out of the study because they couldnAt tolerate eating one tablespoon
of honey every day due to the overly sweet taste.[9:] 5he official conclusionB 05his study
does not confirm the widely held belief that honey relieves the symptoms of allergic
rhinoconCunctivitis.0 ! more recent study has shown pollen collected by bees to e"ert an
antiallergenic effect, mediated by an inhibition of *gD immunoglobulin binding to mast
cells. 5his inhibited mast cell degranulation and thus reduced allergic reaction.[97] 5he
ris- of e"periencing anaphyla"is as an immune system reaction may outweigh any
potential allergy relief.[9:]
A review i t!e Coc!rae Li"rary su##ests !oey could reduce t!e time it ta$es for
a mild "ur to !eal % u& to four days sooer i some cases' 5he review included )9
studies with $,99+ participants. !lthough the honey treatment healed mild burns faster
than traditional dressings did, the author recommends viewing the findings with caution,
since a single research centre performed all of the burn studies.[98]
Health ha4ards
(otulism
Eecause of the natural presence of botulinum endospores in honey,[99] children under
one year of age should not be given honey. 5he more(developed digestive system of older
children and adults generally destroys the spores. *nfants, however, can contract botulism
from honey.[)] Medical grade honey can be treated with gamma radiation to reduce the
ris- of botulinum spores being present.[))] 'amma radiation evidently does not affect
honeyAs antibacterial activity, whether or not the particular honeyAs antibacterial activity is
dependent upon pero"ide generation.[)$]
*nfantile botulism shows geographical variation. *n the @F, only si" cases have been
reported between )97: and $:,[)/] yet the @... has much higher ratesB ).9 per
), live births, +7.$G of which are in ,alifornia.[)+] ?hile the ris- honey poses to
infant health is small, it is recommended not to ta-e the ris-.
)o*ic !oey
Honey produced from flowers of oleanders, rhododendrons, mountain laurels, sheep
laurel, and a4aleas may cause honey into"ication. .ymptoms include di44iness, wea-ness,
e"cessive perspiration, nausea, and vomiting. Hess commonly, low blood pressure, shoc-,
heart rhythm irregularities, and convulsions may occur, with rare cases resulting in death.
Honey into"ication is more li-ely when using 0natural0 unprocessed honey and honey
from farmers who may have a small number of hives. ,ommercial processing, with
pooling of honey from numerous sources, is thought to dilute any to"ins.
New +ealad
5o"ic honey may also result when bees are pro"imate to tutu bushes #,oriaria arborea&
and the vine hopper insect #.colypopa australis&. Eoth are found throughout 7ew
8ealand. Eees gather honeydew produced by the vine hopper insects feeding on the tutu
plant. 5his introduces the poison tutin into honey.[)7] %nly a few areas in 7ew 8ealand
#,oromandel Ieninsula, Dastern Eay of Ilenty and the Marlborough .ound& fre<uently
produce to"ic honey. .ymptoms of tutin poisoning include vomiting, delirium, giddiness,
increased e"citability, stupor, coma, and violent convulsions. 5o reduce the ris- of tutin
poisoning, humans should not eat honey ta-en from feral hives in the ris- areas of 7ew
8ealand. .ince Jecember $), 7ew 8ealand bee-eepers have been re<uired to reduce
the ris- of producing to"ic honey by closely monitoring tutu, vine hopper, and foraging
conditions within / -ilometres #).9 mi& of their apiary.