The regenerative potential of honey: a comprehensive literature review

Abstract

Honey is a delicious, sweet liquid with infinite nutritional properties. Being a cherished human food, honey had been utilized by Homo since the dawn of time. It is a highly saturated and viscous sugar solution with a variety of additional ingredients including organic acids, proteins, minerals, vitamins, amino acids, polyphenols, aroma compounds, and approximately 500 enzymes. This diversified chemical profile of honey accounts for its immense dietary and medicinal uses in both present and historic generations and civilizations. The literature archive suggests that honey exerts numerous health-constructive effects including hypocholesterolemic, cardioprotective, antihypertensive, hepatoprotective, gastroprotective, neuroprotective, nephroprotective, antibacterial, antiviral, antifungal, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antiarrhythmic, antileishmanial, antithrombotic, antinociceptive, and immune-boosting properties. Oxidative stress is the key player in the progression of degenerative changes in many vital organs such as skin, liver, pancreas, and reproductive organs. Honey has the distinct advantage of carrying components that can help with regenerative healing by acting as an anti-bacterial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory agent. Keeping in view the regenerative potential of honey, this review is envisioned to apprehend the potential role of honey in boosting the regeneration of various vital organ systems. Promoting the natural regenerative abilities of tissues can help in mitigating the progression of degenerative changes and abate the burden of various degenerative maladies.

Keywords:

• Honey
• regeneration
• flavonoids
• antioxidants
• oxidative stress

Acknowledgments

The authors are grateful to Aatira Ahmad, Ayesha, Irum Fatima, and Laraib Babar for their valuable comments on the earlier version of the manuscript.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.