Global Health Journal Club: Is Honey Effective as a Treatment for Chemotherapy-induced Mucositis in Paediatric Oncology Patients?

Oral mucositis (OM) is an inflammatory response of mucosal epithelium to the cytotoxic effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy causing severe oral pain and ulceration, which may complicate the management of cancer. The Mucositis Prevention Guideline Development Group has developed an international guideline for the prevention of mucositis in children receiving treatment for cancer or undergoing haematopoietic stem cell transplantation. Evidence-based preventative strategies include cryotherapy, low-level light therapy and keratinocyte growth factor. However, these strategies are often not available in resource-poor settings. There is some evidence that honey may be a suitable treatment for OM in adult patients. We performed a literature search of 11 databases to find papers exploring the use of honey to treat chemotherapy-associated mucositis in paediatric oncology patients. We found four papers, which provide Grade C evidence that honey is effective as a preventative and therapeutic measure for OM in paediatric oncology patients.

Towards a better understanding of the therapeutic applications and corresponding mechanisms of action of honey.

Honey is a bee-derived supersaturated solution composed of complex contents mainly glucose, fructose, amino acids, vitamins, and minerals. Composition of honey may vary due to the difference in nectar, season, geography, and storage condition. Honey has been used since times immemorial in folk medicine and has recently been rediscovered as an excellent therapeutic agent. In the past, honey was used for a variety of ailments without knowing the scientific background and active ingredients of honey. Today, honey has been scientifically proven for its antioxidant, regulation of glycemic response, antitumor, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and cardiovascular potentiating agent. It can be used as a wound dressing and healing substance. Honey is different in color, flavor, sensory perception, and medical response. Apart from highlighting the nutritional facts of honey, we collected the finding of the published literature to know the mechanism of action of honey in different diseases. This review covers the composition, physiochemical characteristics, and some medical uses.

Fighting Off Wound Pathogens in Horses with Honeybee Lactic Acid Bacteria.

In the global perspective of antibiotic resistance, it is urgent to find potent topical antibiotics for the use in human and animal infection. Healing of equine wounds, particularly in the limbs, is difficult due to hydrostatic factors and exposure to environmental contaminants, which can lead to heavy bio-burden/biofilm formation and sometimes to infection. Therefore, antibiotics are often prescribed. Recent studies have shown that honeybee-specific lactic acid bacteria (LAB), involved in honey production, and inhibit human wound pathogens. The aim of this pilot study was to investigate the effects on the healing of hard-to-heal equine wounds after treatment with these LAB symbionts viable in a heather honey formulation. For this, we included ten horses with wound duration of >1 year, investigated the wound microbiota, and treated wounds with the novel honeybee LAB formulation. We identified the microbiota using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and DNA sequencing. In addition, the antimicrobial properties of the honeybee LAB formulation were tested against all wound isolates in vitro. Our results indicate a diverse wound microbiota including fifty-three bacterial species that showed 90 % colonization by at least one species of Staphylococcus. Treatment with the formulation promoted wound healing in all cases already after the first application and the wounds were either completely healed (n = 3) in less than 20 days or healing was in progress. Furthermore, the honeybee LAB formulation inhibited all pathogens when tested in vitro. Consequently, this new treatment option presents as a powerful candidate for the topical treatment of hard-to-heal wounds in horses.

Honey pacifier use among an indigent pediatric population.

BACKGROUND: Use of honey pacifiers by infants presenting to a pediatric clinic at a county hospital in Houston, Texas, was observed by several of our staff members. Although we could not find any published studies linking the use of honey pacifiers to infant botulism, we also could not find any studies assessing the prevalence of honey pacifier use in general. METHODS: We conducted a cross-sectional, descriptive study using a novel survey that had 19 items. The survey was administered to the parents of children up to age 12 months presenting to a county hospital pediatric clinic for well-child care in Houston, Texas, from February 2010 to April 2011. RESULTS: There were 397 respondents. Approximately 11% of the respondents reported using honey pacifiers with their infant children. Reasons for use included tradition, infant preference, and perceived health benefits (eg, helps with constipation or colic). Approximately 20% of the honey pacifier users and 23% of the entire group reported knowledge of honey potentially causing an illness in children <12 months of age. Nearly 40% of all respondents also reported using herbal or folk remedies. CONCLUSIONS: Honey pacifier use was relatively common among this population, seen in ∼1 out of 10 respondents. A majority of the mothers surveyed (∼80%) were unaware of the potential dangers of giving honey to infants under age 12 months. Herbal medicine use was also common.

[The potential use of honey in ophthalmology]. / Moznosti vyuzitia vcelieho medu v oftalmológii.

Honey is considered to be a natural product with antibacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. Its successful application in the treatment of chronic wounds and burns has promoted its further clinical use in other clinical departments, including ophthalmology. One of the major advantages of honey is its multi-factorial antibacterial action and the fact that there is no risk of developing bacterial resistance to it. In this work we discuss the current knowledge and new perspectives for honey therapy in treatment of eye diseases such as dry eye disease, age-related macular degeneration, cataracts and bullous keratopathy. Key words: honey, eye diseases, natural product, treatment.

Mieles checas categorizadas según su actividad antioxidante / Czech honey categorized according to their antioxidant activity

La bioactividad de la miel de abejas ha sido aplicada en apiterapia tradicional y moderna. El origen botánico ocasiona variaciones en los principios activos y en el color de este producto, desde incoloro y blanquecino hasta marrón oscuro en la escala ámbar. Se evaluó la actividad antioxidante total (AAT) de 50 mieles enviadas al servicio de Análisis Químico del Instituto de Investigaciones Apícolas en Dol, República Checa, con el método del catión radical ABTS·+. Se encontraron las siguientes variaciones de AAT (µmoles equivalentes Trolox) para 22 mieles florales (60,12-287,55), 15 mieles de mielada (53,71-280,04) y 13 mieles mixtas (43,55-290,35). La AAT no varió significativamente según el origen botánico de las mieles, pero fue directamente proporcional al color y al contenido de flavonoides y de polifenoles. Se sugiere una clasificación de mieles según su contenido bajo, medio o alto de AAT.

The bioactivity of honey has been used in traditional and modern apitherapy. The botanical origin of honey causes variations in this product's active principles and color, from almost colorless whitish to dark brown in the amber scale. The total antioxidant activity (TAA) of 50 honeys sent to the service of Chemical Analysis of the Institute of Apicultural Investigations in Dol, Czech Republic, was evaluated by the method of the radical cation ABTS·+. The following variations of AAT (µmols Trolox equivalent) were found for 22 floral honeys (60.12-287.55), 15 honeydew honeys (53.71-280.04) and 13 mixed honeys (43.55-290.35). The TAA did not vary significantly according to the botanical origin but was directly proportional to color and content of flavonoids and polyphenols. A classification of honey according to its low, medium and high TAA is suggested.