Honey is a by-product of flower nectar and the upper
aero-digestive tract of the honey bee, which is concentrated through a
dehydration process inside the bee hive. Honey has a very complex chemical
composition that varies depending on the botanical source. It has been used
both as food and medicine since ancient times. Human use of honey is traced to
some 8000 years ago as depicted by Stone Age paintings. In addition to
important role of natural honey in the traditional medicine, during the past
few decades, it was subjected to laboratory and clinical investigations by
several research groups and it has found a place in modern medicine.
Honey has been reported to have an inhibitory effect on
around 60 species of bacteria, some species of fungi and viruses. Antioxidant
capacity of honey is important in many disease conditions and is due to a wide
range of compounds including phenolics, peptides, organic acids, enzymes, and
Maillard reaction products. Honey has also been used in some gastrointestinal,
cardiovascular, inflammatory and neoplastic states.
This review covers the composition, physico-chemical
properties and the most important uses of natural honey in human diseases.
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