Quercus pyrenaica Honeydew Honey With High Phenolic Contents Cause DNA Damage, Apoptosis, and Cell Death Through Generation of Reactive Oxygen Species in Gastric Adenocarcinoma Cells

Abstract

Many studies have shown that honey with high phenolic contents prevents cancer formation. Furthermore, recent studies have demonstrated that honey can be used for the treatment of cancer as well as cancer prevention. Antineoplastic effects of honey are often associated with their antioxidant phenolic contents. However, very few studies have dealt with the association of phenolic contents of honeys in terms of antiproliferative effects. The aim of this study was, therefore, to elucidate the cytotoxic, genotoxic, apoptotic, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generating effects of honey samples on the basis of their phenolic and flavonoid contents. Fourteen different honey varieties were collected from various parts of Turkey, and their characteristics regarding total phenols, flavonoids, and antioxidant contents were determined to test their effects on gastric cancer cells (AGS). For convenience, 2 honey varieties were selected, namely, Ida Mountains Quercus pyrenaica honeydew honey (QPHH-IM) having the highest phenolic and antioxidant content and Canakkale multifloral honey (MFH-C) with the lowest phenolic and antioxidant content. Levels of 11 different phenolic compounds in QPHH-IM and MFH-C samples were determined by LC-MS/MS. AGS cells were incubated with different concentrations of QPHH-IM and MFH-C for 24 hours, then the cell viability, DNA damage, apoptosis, and generation of ROS were determined. We found that QPHH-IM had more cytotoxic, genotoxic, and apoptotic effects than that of MFH-C. We think that these effects are probably related to pro-oxidant activities due to the high phenolic contents present. Therefore, further research on high-phenolic honey may contribute to the future development of cancer therapeutics.

The Influence of In Vitro Gastrointestinal Digestion on the Anticancer Activity of Manuka Honey

“…There are several works in which the treatment of colorectal cancer cells with different types of honey caused a similar pattern in the production of intracellular ROS: strawberry tree honey induced a greater accumulation of ROS in both HCT-116 than in the LoVo cells [34] and a commercial honey of Indian origin caused the same increase in HCT-116 and HT-29 [40]. Similar results were found with a multifloral honey and honeydew honey, which managed to increase ROS levels in gastric adenocarcinoma cells in a concentration-dependent manner [41].…”

The Potential Error on the Quercus pyrenaica Honeydew Honey Identifications

“…The error we noticed is related to the distribution site of the plant species “ Quercus pyrenaica ” reported in the study. 1 Quercus pyrenaica mentioned in the study does not exist either in Mount Ida or within the borders of Turkey, as stated in the study. Therefore, the results obtained in the study may belong to another Quercus species.…”

The Acorn Honey Used for a Published Study was Mistakenly Listed as Quercus pyrenaica and Should Be Corrected to Quercus species

“…A critical review letter 1 was published concerning the article “Quercus pyrenaica honeydew honey effects on gastric adenocarcinoma cells” published in Integrative Cancer Therapies in 2019. 2 According to the letter, the authors reported that the Quercus pyrenaica mentioned in the study was neither found in Mount Ida nor within the borders of Turkey as stated in the study, therefore the results obtained in the study may belong to another Quercus species.…”