Paper Menu >>
Journal Menu >>
![]() Vol.1, No.2, 281-283 (2009) doi:10.4236/health.2009.14045 SciRes Copyright © 2009 Openly accessible at http://www.scirp.org/journal/HEALTH/ Health Therapeutic properties of honey Giuseppe Pipicelli1, Patrizio Tatti2 1The Diabetology and Dietology Complex Operating Unit, A.D.I. Study Groups, Province Healthcare Company Catanzaro, Italy; giuseppe.pipicelli@alice.it 2The Diabetology and Endocrinology Complex Operating Unit, ASL RMH Rome, Italy Received 9 October 2009; revised 27 October 2009; accepted 29 October 2009. ABSTRACT Honey has been successfully used in medicine since antiquity. However, with the advent of modern medicine it has been less used, espe- cially in the English-speaking world. Its benefi- cial effects in different disorders, rediscovered in recent decades, will be discussed below on the basis of a series of international scientific studies conducted to investigate the therapeutic properties of this natural product and published on Medline. It should be noted, however, that the therapeutic use of honey in everyday clinical practice needs to be validated by relevant guidelines and should only be adopted under medical prescription, in accordance with criteria of efficacy and safety for both patients and healthcare providers. Keywords: Antibacterial; Oncolgy; Wounds; Im- munostimulation 1. INTERNATIONAL SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE OF THE USE OF HONEY IN MEDICINE In ancient times, soldiers with very serious wounds and burns were treated with a mixture of honey and curdled milk applied on the injuries with a cotton bandage. A similar mixture was used in different cul- tures throughout history, including the Romans, many African tribes, native Americans, and rural popula- tions in the South of the United States [1]. Used as a local treatment, honey is very useful as a healing agent and, compared to pharmaceutical products, has the advantage of being inexpensive – not a minor de- tail in our days, when medicine is expected to be not only effective and efficient, but also low-cost. In the treatment of dressed or infected wounds, honey is often more effective than pharmaceutical preparations, and more easily available [2,3]. Imbibed gauze is used to apply it onto the injuries: this confirms something that has been known for centuries, i.e. that honey has a recognized antibacterial activity. Its use in surgery is strongly recommended, also for the topical treatment of postoperative wounds, such as Cesarean sections [4]. The use of alginate honey on ulcers is increas- ingly becoming a widely used, easy to apply healing agent. Similar results are also demonstrated in the treatment of burns [5]. In particular, the topical use of concentrated raw honey has been proved to promote faster eradication of pathogenic bacteria, reduce the length of antibiotic treatment and hospitalization, and prevent wound dehiscence and eschar formation. The only factor which may limit these effects is inade- quate sterility of the preparations, in which case this type of treatment may be highly counterproductive. In addition to antibacterial properties, scientific evidence supports anti-inflammatory and immuno- stimulating activity of honey [6-11]. Certain types of honey, obtained from particular flowers found in Aus- tralia and New Zealand (leptospermum spp) have strong anti-inflammatory properties and have been approved for sale as therapeutic honey (Medihoney and Manuka honey) and used for the treatment of numerous types of skin lesions[12,13,15]. A mixture of honey, olive oil and bee wax is an effective treat- ment for hemorrhoids and anal fistulas [14]. No side effects are reported. The frequent use of honey-based preparations to be applied on catheters in dialyzed patients is a satisfactory alternative to chemoprophy- laxis for patients with central venous catheters [15]. Again, the prerequisite is perfect sterility and, as in other cases, the use of honey for this application must be validated by official medical guidelines. In oncology, honey has been used as a barrier against the implantation of tumors in laparoscopic oncological surgical procedures. In the same field, the intake of honey reduces chemotherapy-related neu- tropenia fever by alleviating pancytopenia, of which chemotherapy fever is a symptom. A study by the uni- versity of Bonn showed that the use of special honey-based preparations may provide protection ![]() G. Pipicelli et al. / HEALTH 1 (2009) 281-283 SciRes Copyright © 2009 Openly accessible at http://www.scirp.org/journal/HEALTH/ 282 Honey Nutritional Chart (Source: Inran). Edible part (%) 100 Water (g) 18 Proteins (g) 0.6 Lipids (g) 0 Carbohydrates (g) 80.3 Starch (g) 0 Soluble sugars (g) 80.3 Total fiber 0 Energy (kcal) 304 Energy (kJ) 1270 Sodium 11 Potassium 51 Iron 0.5 Calcium 5 Phosphorous 6 Thiamin tr. Riboflavin 0.04 Niacin 0.30 Vitamin A (ret.eq.) 0 Vitamin C 1 Vitamin E 0 International scientific evidence of the use of honey in medicine from hospital infections in immuno-depressed child- ren with blood cancer. In a Russian study, the use of a food product (Honey Laminolact), containing milk ferments, amino acids, fruit pectines and of course honey, proved effective in protecting the gastrointes- tinal tract from radiotherapy in women with uterus cancer [18]. In clinical trials, the anti-cancer properties of honey have been tested in rats. Honey proved to be moder- ately effective against tumors and significantly effec- tive against metastatic growths. It also enhanced the anti-cancer activity of 5-fluorouracile and cyclo-pho- sphamide [16] Honey also helps treat cough and breathing diffi- culties in children with upper respiratory tract infec- tions [19]. Other studies have confirmed its antibacte- rial activity, including an Australian study where the use of 13 types of honey had antibacterial effects against the growth of Escherichia coli and Pseudo- monas aeruginosa colonies [6,7,10]. These antibacte- rial properties were similar in both farm-made and industrial products, as long as the concentration of pure honey was 2.5% or higher. According to studies conducted in the Arab Emirates, honey added to bac- teria cultures, especially in the case of anaerobic bac- teria, reduces their growth with dose-dependant effi- cacy. [8] Honey is also recommended in dental hygiene. The use of honey chewing-gum three times a day after meals significantly reduces plaque and the risk of gingivitis. It also has therapeutic properties in the treatment of gingivitis and periodontal disorders. [13] In a study on 10 cases of dental infections, the local use of natural honey in dental abscesses and chronic osteomyelitis proved to have antibacterial effects [20]. In dermatology, the use of mixtures containing honey, olive oil and bee wax is very helpful in the treatment of dermatitis and psoriasis vulgaris, as well as sebor- rheic dermatitis and dandruff (provided the treatment is applied every day for at least four weeks), by com- bining antibacterial activity with antifungal and anti- oxidant effects. So far we have examined the thera- peutic properties of honey for topical use; however, honey taken orally also has medicinal properties as demonstrated by other important studies. In particular, propolis, a product of honey, seems to have positive effects on intestinal giardiasis, a parassitosis which affects mostly children [22]. In some studies on rats, the intake of honey was effective against the onset of colitis [23]. As no relevant studies on humans have yet been conducted, the use of honey to treat these disorders requires further investigation. For the mo- ment, we may assume that honey plays an important role in preventing inflammatory tissues from produc- ing free radicals [23]. As regards the gastrointestinal tract, the intake of honey helps treat Helicobacter py- lori infections, particularly difficult to eradicate, by fighting the bacteria’s tendency to develop resistance to antibiotics [24], which is the primary cause of treatment failure. Honey is a traditional treatment for dyspepsia, highly recommended by physicians based on professional experience, although no scientific evidence exists to support its efficacy. It has been discovered, however, that Helicobacter pylori is probably the agent that causes dyspepsia: this sug- gested that the therapeutic action of honey at the sys- temic level may be attributable to antibacterial prop- erties [25]. A comparison between the effects of glu- cose and honey in increasing the blood sugar levels of patients with diabetes mellitus has demonstrated that honey causes less hyperglycemia than sugar [26]. Therefore, in diabetic patients, honey is indicated as a good substitute for sugar, with the additional benefit of a lower glycemic value. REFERENCES [1] Ahmed, A.K., Hoekstra, M.J., Hage, J.J. and Karim, R.B. (2003) Honey-medicated dressing: transformation of an ancient remedy into modern therapy. Ann Plast Surg., 50(2), 143-7, 147-8. ![]() G. Pipicelli et al. / HEALTH 1 (2009) 281-283 SciRes Copyright © 2009 http://www.scirp.org/journal/HEALTH/Openly accessible at 283 283 [2] Lusby, P.E., Coombes, A., Wilkinson, J.M. (2002) Honey: a potent agent for wound healing? J Wound Ostomy Con- tinence Nurs, 29(6), 295-300. [3] Cooper, R.A., Halas, E. and Molan, P.C. (2002) The effi- cacy of honey in inhibiting strains of Pseudomonas aeruginosa from infected burns. J Burn Care Rehabil, 23(6), 366-70. [4] Al-Waili, N.S. and Saloom, K.Y. (1999) Effects of topi- cal honey on post-operative wound infections due to gram positive and gram negative bacteria following cae- sarean sections and hysterectomies. Eur J Med Res., 4(3), 126-30. [5] Subrahmanyam, M., A prospective randomised clinical and histological study of superficial burn wound healing with honey and silver sulfadiazine., 24(2), 157-61. [6] Mullai, V. and Menon, T. (2007) Bactericidal activity of different types of honey against clinical and environ- mental isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. J. Altern Complement Med., 13(4), 439-41. [7] Estrada, H., Gamboa Mdel, M., Arias, M.L. and Chaves, C. (2005) Evaluation of the antimicrobial action of honey against Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epider- midis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, Sal- monella enteritidis, Listeria monocytogenes and Asper- gillus niger. Evaluation of its microbiological charge. Arch Latinoam Nutr., 55(2), 167-71. [8] Al-Waili, N.S., Akmal, M., Al-Waili, F.S., Saloom, K.Y. and Ali, A. (2005) The antimicrobial potential of honey from United Arab Emirates on some microbial isolates. Med Sci Monit., 11(12), 433-8. [9] Lusby, P.E., Coombes, A.L. and Wilkinson J.M. (2005) Bactericidal activity of different honeys against patho- genic bacteria. Arch Med Res., 36(5), 464-7. [10] Wilkinson, J.M. and Cavanagh, H.M. (2005) Anti-bacte- rial activity of 13 honeys against Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. J Med Food, 8(1), 100-3. [11] Elbagoury, E.F. and Rasmy, S. (1993) Antibacterial ac- tion of natural honey on anaerobic bacteroides. Egypt Dent J., 39(1), 381-6. [12] Simon, A., Sofka, K., Wiszniewsky, G., Blaser, G., Bode, U. and Fleischhack, G. (2006) Wound care with antibac- terial honey (Medihoney) in pediatric hematology on- cology. Support Care Cancer, 14(1), 91-7. [13] English, H.K., Pack, A.R. and Molan, P.C. (2004) The effects of manuka honey on plaque and gingivitis: a pilot study. J Int Acad Periodontol., 6(2), 63-7. [14] Al-Waili, N.S., Saloom, K.S., Al-Waili, T.N. and Al-Waili, A.N. (2006) The safety and efficacy of a mix- ture of honey, olive oil, and beeswax for the management of hemorrhoids and anal fissure: a pilot study. Scientific World Journal., 6, 1998-2005. [15] Johnson, D.W., van Eps, C., Mudge, D.W., Wiggins, K.J., Armstrong, K., Hawley, C.M., Campbell, S.B., Isbel, N.M., Nimmo, G.R. and Gibbs, H. (2005) Randomized, controlled trial of topical exit-site application of honey (Medihoney) versus mupirocin for the prevention of catheter-associated infections in hemodialysis patients. J Am Soc Nephrol, 16(5), 1456-62. [16] Gribel', N.V. and Pashinskiĭ, V.G. (1990) The antitumor properties of honey. Vopr Onkol., 36(6), 704-9. [17] Zidan, J., Shetver, L., Gershuny, A., bzah, A., Tamam, S., Stein M. and Friedman, E. (2006) Prevention of chemo- therapy-induced neutropenia by special honey intake. Med Oncol., 23(4), 549-52. [18] Smirnova, I.I., Filatova, E.I., Suvorov, A.N. and Bylin- skaia, E.N. (2000) The use of therapeutic/prophylactic dragee “honey laminolact” in radiotherapy of uterine tu- mors. Vopr Onkol., 46(6), 748-50. [19] Paul, I.M., Beiler, J.A., McMonagle, M., Shaffer, L., Duda, L. and Berlin, C.M. (2007), Effect of honey, dex- tromethorphan, and no treatment on nocturnal cough and sleep quality for coughing children and their parents. JrArch Pediatr Adolesc Med., 161(12), 1140-6. [20] Okeniyi, J.A., Olubanjo, O.O., Ogunlesi, T.A. and Oye- lami, O.A. (2005) Comparison of healing of incised ab- scess wounds with honey and EUSOL dressing. J Altern Complement Med., Jun, 11(3), 511-3. [21] Al-Waili, N.S. (2001) Therapeutic and prophylactic ef- fects of crude honey on chronic seborrheic dermatitis and dandruff. Eur J Med Res., 6(7), 306-8. [22] Abdel-Fattah, N.S. and Nada, O.H. (2007) Effect of pro- polis versus metronidazole and their combined use in treatment of acute experimental giardiasis. J. Egypt Soc Parasitol, 691-710. [23] Bilsel, Y., Bugra, D., Yamaner, S., Bulut, T., Cevikbas U. and Turkoglu. U. (2002) Could honey have a place in co- litis therapy? Effects of honey, prednisolone, and disul- firam on inflammation, nitric oxide, and free radical formation. PMIDig Surg., 19(4), 306-11, discussion 311- 2. [24] Drouin, E. (1999) Helicobacter pylori: novel therapies. Can J Gastroenterol., 13(7), 581-3. [25] Somal, A.N., Coley, K.E., Molan, P.C. and Hancock. B.M. (1994). Susceptibility of helicobacter pylori to the antibacterial activity of manuka honey. J R Soc Med., 87(1), 9-12. [26] Samanta, A., Burden, A.C. and Jones, G.R. (1985) Plasma glucose responses to glucose, sucrose, and honey in patients with diabetes mellitus: an analysis of glycae- mic and peak incremental indices. Diabet Med., 2(5), 371-3. |