Honey as a Natural Nutraceutical: Its Combinational Therapeutic Strategies Applicable to Blood Infections—Septicemia, HIV, SARS-CoV-2, Malaria

Abstract

Honey is a natural substance that has existed alongside humanity since the time of antiquity, acting then as a source of nutrition, as well as a source of medicinal aid for people. Ancient civilizations from multiple nations of the world, from ancient China to ancient Greece and Egypt, utilized the supposed healing properties of honey to treat lacerations and wounds, as well as for internal pathologies such as intestinal disease. At present, honey has entered the modern scientific research program in search of novel antibiotics. In recent research, honey has demonstrated its potential use for static and/or cidal effects on microbial strains which are becoming resistant to chemical antibiotics. Additionally, the use of honey as an agent of treatment for more severe infections, namely blood infections pertaining to septicemia, HIV, and SARS-CoV-2, as well as parasitic infections such as malaria, have also been investigated in recent years. In this article, the literature has been reviewed on some of the therapeutic properties of natural nutraceutical honey, where it has been observed to act as a potential ameliorating agent; reducing the severity of such conditions that may amplify a disease, as well as reducing the progression of the disease and its symptoms.

Droplet Digital RT-PCR (dd RT-PCR) Detection of SARS-CoV-2 in Honey Bees and Honey Collected in Apiaries across the Campania Region

“…For this reason, this innovative approach could be extended to other airborne pathogens that affect plants, animals, and humans and could be used to predict recurrent outbreaks like seasonal influenza. Furthermore, as previously reported [72][73][74], it is important to underline that honey samples could also be used as further indicators of virus spread in the environment without causing harm to the consumer. However, this is a preliminary study, and it is necessary to conduct further studies on different territories to ensure the reliability of the data.…”

“…On the contrary, bibliographic studies have shown that for its antioxidant and antiinflammatory properties, it is even used to alleviate the clinical symptoms caused by SARS-CoV-2 by reducing the elimination time of the same virus [73,74]. Furthermore, Abedi et al (2021) evaluated the potential applications of honey and its constituent components as a possible treatment regime for COVID-19, and they have observed that the anti-inflammatory properties on proinflammatory cells and agents could lead to the prevention of SARS-CoV-2 penetration and reproduction in host cells.…”

Studies on bioactivities of Manuka and regional varieties of honey for their potential use as natural antibiotic agents for infection control related to wound healing and in pharmaceutical formulations

“…Honey is a natural nutraceutical and can be used in combinational therapeutic approaches [88] . Hydrogen peroxide has been reported as a potential wound therapeutic target [89] , in which the stabilization and controlled release of H 2 O 2 for wound treatment applications could be achieved through the use of micro-encapsulated hydrogen peroxide [90] .…”

Nutraceutical Combinational Therapy for Diarrhoea Control with Probiotic Beverages from Fermented Fruits, Vegetables and Cereals to Regain Lost Hydration, Nutrition and Gut Microbiota

“…have been identified for their possible application as therapeutic agents, that can be used for fortification of beverages for several health benefits including gut infections and disorders in the digestive system [ 90 , 91 ]. The bioactive compounds with antimicrobial and other therapeutic activities have been investigated in plant-sourced edible materials [ 92 , 93 , 94 , 95 , 96 ]. Products prepared using such bioactive materials are free from chemically synthesised molecules, for instance, commonly prescribed antibiotics have chemically-synthesised compounds.…”