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Applied Sciences
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Honey as a Therapeutic Agent
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Honey as a Therapeutic Agent

A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Food Science and Technology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 January 2024) | Viewed by 5858

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Dorota Grabek-Lejko

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Bioenergetics, Food Analysis and Microbiology, Institute of Food Technology and Nutrition, University of Rzeszow, 35-601 Rzeszow, Poland
Interests: food microbiology; antibacterial properties; antiviral properties; honey; biologically active compounds
Prof. Dr. Malgorzata Dzugan

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Chemistry and Food Toxicology, Institute of Food Technology and Nutrition, University of Rzeszow, 35-601 Rzeszow, Poland
Interests: honey plants; medicinal plants; phytochemicals in honey; bee pollen and propolis; antioxidant activity; polyphenolic profile; oxidative stress biomarkers; plant food toxins; heavy metal pollution; cadmium; risk assessment
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Problems with conventional treatments of different disorders related to rising global antibiotic resistance, drug-related adverse effects, etc., have forced scientists to search for new compounds of therapeutic value, develop novel therapies, and find alternatives to conventional medicine. Efforts have included the evaluation of natural products, such as honey, which has been used in traditional medicine since ancient times and can be considered as a promising option for modern treatment.

This Special Issue is dedicated to possible applications of honey in treatment. Manuscripts concerning all areas of this issue are welcome:

  • the antimicrobial (antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral) properties of honey;
  • anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory action of honey;
  • mechanisms of antimicrobial action;
  • honey in wound healing;
  • honey in COVID-19 treatment;
  • honey as an antidiabetic and antitumor agent;
  • the synergistic effect of honey and conventional antibiotics;
  • the effect of honey processing on its therapeutic properties.

Dr. Dorota Grabek-Lejko
Prof. Dr. Malgorzata Dzugan
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Applied Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • honey
  • antimicrobial
  • anti-inflammatory
  • antioxidant
  • anticancer
  • wound healing
  • skin infection
  • mechanisms
  • treatment

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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16 pages, 1256 KiB  
Article
Coniferous Honeydew Honey: Antibacterial Activity and Anti-Migration Properties against Breast Cancer Cell Line (MCF-7)
by Małgorzata Dżugan, Ewa Ciszkowicz, Monika Tomczyk, Michał Miłek and Katarzyna Lecka-Szlachta
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(2), 710; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14020710 - 14 Jan 2024
Viewed by 940
Abstract
Four samples of fir honeydew honey from Podkarpackie labeled with a Protected Designation of Origin symbol were tested in terms of their physicochemical parameters, antioxidant, and antibacterial effects, as well as their anti-migration properties against a breast cancer cell line (MCF-7) and fibroblasts. [...] Read more.
Four samples of fir honeydew honey from Podkarpackie labeled with a Protected Designation of Origin symbol were tested in terms of their physicochemical parameters, antioxidant, and antibacterial effects, as well as their anti-migration properties against a breast cancer cell line (MCF-7) and fibroblasts. The results confirmed the high quality of tested samples regarding the obligatory parameters, as well as the additional indicators used (antioxidant and enzymatic activity), compared to representative rapeseed honey. Among the tested bacterial strains, the greatest effectiveness was demonstrated against Klebsiella pneumoniae and Streptococcus spp. Moreover, the results obtained in the urease inhibition in vitro test suggested the potential use of honeydew honey in the treatment of urease-positive bacterial infections. For the first time, using a scratch test it was found that the Podkarpackie honeydew honey efficiently affected the migration of cancer breast cells, whereas it only slightly inhibited the movement of normal fibroblasts. It can be suggested that the quality of honey guaranteed by the Protected Designation of Origin label could be the key factor of honeydew honey’s bioactivity and its potential medicinal use. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Honey as a Therapeutic Agent)
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16 pages, 3408 KiB  
Article
The Influence of Bee Bread on Antioxidant Properties, Sensory and Quality Characteristics of Multifloral Honey
by Celina Habryka, Robert Socha and Lesław Juszczak
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(13), 7913; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13137913 - 6 Jul 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1040
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of bee bread addition on the phenolic content, antioxidant properties, sensory and quality characteristics of the multifloral honey. On the base of results obtained, it was stated that an enrichment of honey with [...] Read more.
The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of bee bread addition on the phenolic content, antioxidant properties, sensory and quality characteristics of the multifloral honey. On the base of results obtained, it was stated that an enrichment of honey with bee bread led to an significant increase in total phenolic content (from 30.75 to 158.96 mg GAE/100 g), total flavonoids content (from 2.77 to 21.15 mg QE/100 g), and phenolic acids content (from 11.02 to 35.47 mg CAE/100 g). Gallic acid was the predominating phenolic acid, while quercetin was the main determined flavonoid. A significant elevation of the phenolic content resulted in an increase in antioxidant capacity of the honey. However, an addition of bee bread to the honey led to the unfavorable changes of its sensory characteristics. The decrease in clarity, and uniformity of color and brightness was detected. In the case of consistency, the decrease in smoothness and meltability was found along with an increase in the feeling of sandiness. The assessment of taste showed a significant increase in acid taste, sharpness, bitterness and durability of the aftertaste, with a decrease in sweetness. The addition of bee bread to the honey caused a significant increase in water-insoluble substances content, free acidity, specific conductivity and proline level. At the same time, a decrease in the content of glucose and fructose was observed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Honey as a Therapeutic Agent)
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17 pages, 3430 KiB  
Article
Determination of Antioxidant and Antibacterial Activities of Honey-Loaded Topical Formulations: A Focus on Western Australian Honeys
by Md Lokman Hossain, Lee Yong Lim, Katherine Hammer, Dhanushka Hettiarachchi and Cornelia Locher
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(13), 7440; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13137440 - 23 Jun 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1243
Abstract
This study presents data on the antioxidant and antibacterial activities of honey-based topical formulations incorporating four Western Australian (WA) honeys along with New Zealand Manuka honey as a comparator honey. The antioxidant activity of the pure honeys and the various honey-loaded topical formulations [...] Read more.
This study presents data on the antioxidant and antibacterial activities of honey-based topical formulations incorporating four Western Australian (WA) honeys along with New Zealand Manuka honey as a comparator honey. The antioxidant activity of the pure honeys and the various honey-loaded topical formulations were assessed by the ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) assay and high-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) coupled with 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) derivatization. An optimised agar overlay assay was employed to determine the antibacterial activity of the pure honeys and honey-loaded topical formulations with a Trimethoprim antibiotic disc acting as a positive control. It was found that the antioxidant activity was retained in all formulation types irrespective of the honey that was utilized. WA Manuka honey 2 and its formulations showed the highest antioxidant activity in the FRAP assay with a recorded activity of 6.56, 6.54, 6.53 and 18.14 mmol Fe2+ equivalent/kg honey, its pre-gel solution, and its corresponding wet and dry sheets, respectively. Additionally, the band activity of WA Manuka honey 2 and its formulations was also found to be the highest activity with values equivalent to 29.30, 29.28, 29.27 and 81.30 µg of gallic acid/g honey, its pre-gel solution, and also its corresponding wet and dry sheets, respectively. In the overlay assay, the antibacterial activity of honey-loaded formulations was recorded to be comparable to that of their respective pure honeys. The findings of this study suggest that WA honeys and the investigated semi-solid topical formulations that were loaded with these honeys exert antibacterial and antioxidant activities that at times exceeded that of the NZ Manuka honey, which was used as a comparator in this study. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Honey as a Therapeutic Agent)
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Review

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22 pages, 805 KiB  
Review
Honey Therapy in Diabetic Foot Ulcers: A Promising Strategy for Effective Wound Healing
by Andrea Bezerra, Hélder Fonseca, Francisca Rodrigues, Cristina Delerue-Matos, Irene Gouvinhas and Juliana Garcia
Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(23), 12820; https://doi.org/10.3390/app132312820 - 29 Nov 2023
Viewed by 2158
Abstract
Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are considered a major problem for public health, leading to high rates of lower-limb amputations. Moreover, due to the high prevalence rate of predisposing factors, the incidence rate of DFU is still rising. Although DFUs are complex in nature, [...] Read more.
Diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs) are considered a major problem for public health, leading to high rates of lower-limb amputations. Moreover, due to the high prevalence rate of predisposing factors, the incidence rate of DFU is still rising. Although DFUs are complex in nature, foot ulceration usually precedes diabetic foot amputations. These impaired chronic wounds usually promote a microbial biofilm, commonly characterized by the presence of multidrug-resistant microorganisms, hampering the efficacy of conventional antibiotic treatments. Honey has been shown to be an effective antibacterial component, including against multidrug-resistant bacteria. Honey’s physical–chemical characteristics, such as the presence of hydrogen peroxide, its low pH levels, and its high sugar and phenolic contents, promote anti-inflammatory and antioxidative activities, improving wound healing. This review aims to explore honey’s effects in wound healing, especially for DFUs, and to show how the different physical–chemical features among different honey types might influence the treatment’s effectiveness. For this, the mechanisms by which honey can promote wound healing and the potential use of honey dressings in diabetic wounds were investigated in animal models and humans. After revising the diabetic wound impairment mechanisms, we found that most of the clinical studies that treated DFUs with honey in animal models or humans reported accelerated wound healing, greater wound contraction, and lower amputation or hospitalization rates; however, few studies characterized the features of honeys used for wound treatment, hindering the possibility of extensively comparing the different types of honey and identifying characteristics that most successfully promote wound healing. According to this review, honey is a cost-effective and safe option for DFU management. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Honey as a Therapeutic Agent)
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