Insights & Discussion
Honey, a natural food supplement, emerges as a potent therapeutic antioxidant with diverse medicinal effects, including wound healing, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antifungal, antiviral, and antidiabetic properties, suggesting its potential as a novel antioxidant in managing oxidative stress-related diseases.
The research extensively reviews honey's medicinal effects, emphasizing its role as a therapeutic antioxidant. The study explores various mechanisms, including the modulation of multiple signaling pathways and molecular targets.
The evidence-based research underscores honey's role in alleviating diseases linked to oxidative stress. The reviewed pathways include caspase induction, cytokine stimulation, cell cycle regulation, and modulation of inflammatory markers. The comprehensive exploration of honey's therapeutic potential indicates its promise as a standalone or adjuvant antioxidant, necessitating further experimental and clinical investigation.
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Fresh raw wildflower honey, particularly at concentrations of 10–30%, exhibit comparable efficacy to manuka honey in inhibiting antibiotic-resistant "superbugs" implicated in wound infections, offering a potentially cost-effective alternative for wound care in the United States.
2022 Antibiotics Both Manuka and Non-Manuka Honey Types Inhibit Antibiotic Resistant Wound-Infecting Bacteria Hewett SR, Crabtrey SD, Dodson EE, Rieth CA, Tarkka RM, Naylor K
Network Pharmacology Antibacterial Antimicrobial Honey
Postoperative infections, a significant concern in US hospitals, often involve drug-resistant wound-infecting bacteria, contributing to life-threatening complications. Manuka honey, FDA-approved for wound treatment, has demonstrated antibacterial efficacy. This study sought alternative honey types for wound infections. Using a honey-plate method, it identified fresh raw Arkansas wildflower honeys as effective against antibiotic-resistant bacteria, mirroring manuka honey's inhibition. Concentrations of 10–30% honey proved effective against critical "superbugs," indicating potential cost-effective alternatives for wound care in the US, where manuka honey accessibility and antibiotic resistance are challenges.
The study presents a promising revelation: fresh raw Arkansas wildflower honeys, akin to manuka honey, exhibit substantial efficacy against antibiotic-resistant bacteria implicated in wound infections. The demonstrated effectiveness at concentrations of 10–30% suggests a feasible and cost-effective alternative for wound care in the US, addressing challenges associated with manuka honey availability and antibiotic resistance. These findings have the potential to reshape wound treatment practices, providing accessible and efficient solutions to combat infections caused by drug-resistant bacteria.
Honey may be used as a potential antidiabetic agent that has the potential to reduce the complications of diabetes.
2018 Oxidative Medicine and Cellular Longevity Honey and Diabetes: The Importance of Natural Simple Sugars in Diet for Preventing and Treating Different Type of Diabetes Bobiş O, Dezmirean DS, Moise AR
Review Article Honey Type 2 Diabetes
Considerable evidence from experimental studies shows that the honey may provide benefits in the management of diabetes mellitus. The benefits could be a better control of the hyperglycemic state, limiting other metabolic disorders and diminishing the deleterious effects on different organs that may produce diabetic complications. Anyway, there are some data and literature with contrary discussions regarding the use of honey in diabetic diseases.
Long-term studies using honey as an alternative or a complementary therapy in human subjects suffering from type 2 diabetes mellitus are needed, with a larger number of patients, randomized clinical trials set up with different levels of diabetes, treated with different doses of honey, following both short-term and long-term treatment.
Honey proves to be an effective, cost-efficient treatment for diabetic wounds due to its natural properties, including antibacterial activity and control over inflammation.
2014 Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine Honey: A Potential Therapeutic Agent for Managing Diabetic Wounds Alam F, Islam MA, Gan SH, Khalil MI
Review Article Anti-Inflammatory Antibacterial Antioxidant
The researchers reviewed the role of honey in healing diabetic wounds, specifically focusing on its antibacterial properties. They examined the honey's ability to combat several microorganisms that are involved in the wound process, and assessed the extent of its antioxidant activity, which plays a key role in controlling inflammation. They also analyzed how honey was used in traditional medicine and compared it to its current resurgence in treating diabetic wounds.
In their discussion of results, the researchers found that honey appears to work more effectively on diabetic wounds compared to other synthetic medications. The studies suggested that honey could be a safer, faster, and more economical healing agent for diabetic wounds due to its effectiveness against microbial resistance. Furthermore, honey's unique natural features as a wound healer demonstrated strong potential in the wound healing process, affirming its traditional claims.