Indian Study Looks at Honey’s Effect on Drug-Metabolizing Enzymes

Research on Toxicology Published by Scientists at Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research
Drug Week, 5/11/2007

A new study, "Effect of honey on CYP3A4, CYP2D6 and CYP2C19 enzyme activity in healthy human volunteers," is now available. According to recent research from Pondicherry, India, "Honey is a common food supplement but not many studies have studied honey and drug interaction. This study investigates the influence of 7 days of honey administration on the activity of CYP3A4, CYP2D6 and CYP2C19 drug-metabolizing enzymes in healthy volunteers by using appropriate biomarker and probe drugs."

"A within-group pharmacokinetic study was done in 12 healthy volunteers. Urine samples (0-8 hr) were collected after administration of 30 mg of oral dextromethorphan (probe drug for CYP2D6) for analysis of dextromethorphan and dextrorphan. A plasma sample (4 hr) was collected after administration of 200 mg of oral proguanil (probe drug for CYP2C19) for the analysis of proguanil and cycloguanil. Urine samples (0-24 hr) were collected for the analysis of 6beta-hydroxycortisol (biomarker for CYP3A4)…

Seven days of honey administration resulted in statistically significant increase in 24-hr urinary excretion of 6beta-hydroxycortisol. However, the metabolic ratios of dextromethorphan and proguanil were not significantly altered after 7 days of honey administration," wrote T. Tushar and colleagues, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research.

The researchers concluded: "Honey obtained from Western Ghats of southern India may induce CYP3A4 enzyme activity but not CYP2D6 and CYP2C19 enzyme activities."...