APIMEDICA Presentation: Honey for Health

APIMEDICA 2006, October 13, 2006, Athens, Greece
Presenter: Swiss Bee Research Centre, Liebefeld - Berne, Switzerland

Summary Points:

* Glucose oxidase in honey produces the antibacterial agent hydrogen peroxide.
* The antimicrobial activity of honey is added partly by the bees but depends also on the botanical origin of honey.
* The high sugar concentration and low pH of honey inhibit bacterial growth.
* Honey inhibits the growth of Helicobacter pylori, the bacteria that causes dyspepsia and peptic ulcers.
* Honey can treat bacterial gastroenteritis (diarrhea) in infants.
* Honey was used successfully in the treatment of colitis (inflammation of the large intestine) in rats.
* Honey enhances the growth of Bifidus and Lactobacilus bactería present in the gastrointestinal tract to enable optimal digestion.
* Honey has been found to contain significant anti-oxidant activity. This activity is mainly due to honey polyphenols.
* Honey causes an anti-mutagen effect in a cell test or an anti-tumor effect in animal experiments.
* Honey ingestion stimulates antibody production during primary and secondary immune responses against thymus-dependent and thymus-independent antigens.
* Honey significantly reduced the cardiovascular disease factors of cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol LDL-C, and TG and elevated high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C).
* Honey enhances Ca absorption in rats. Effect is due to fructose, glucose and raffinose.
* Honey significantly reduces the plasma concentration of substances linked with inflammation like thromboxane B(2) PGE(2) and PGF(2-alpha).
* Honey has a supportive effect on patients who have undergone cancer radiation therapy, decreasing radiation mucositis.
* Honey inhibits the growth of bacteria and fungi of the oral cavity.