Chemistry and Pharmacology of Honey

own significance. This category of honey is got from a manuka tree which is also known as a Leptospermum scoparium (Myrtaceae), is commonly found in New Zealand and eastern Australia. [17]


INTRODUCTION
Honeybees (Apis mellifera; Family: Apidae) forms a product from sap of plants which is also known as Honey [1] From 5500 years, honey has been used by humans. [2] As per a study says honey is used as a well-adjusted nourishment and equally widespread in all ages of male and female. [6]Honey can store at room temperature without any spoilage. Furthermore, the practice of honey in drinks is also gradually widespread. [8]Currently, many magazines, journal and natural product's leaflets are publishing unknown activities of honey. [9]ublication specifies that honey can apply numerous healthvaluable properties together with antioxidant, [10] used against inflammation, [11] bacterial infections, [12] diabetes [13] respiratory, gastrointestinal [14] troubles, heart related problems, and nervous system [15] protective properties.

Categories of Honey
Now, honey can be divided into two types i.e., blossom or nectar honey (floral origin), based on its origin.Nectar honey which has flowered source may be unifloral or multifloral.There is one more kind of honey called honeydew which is obtained from the discharges of floras or bugs which are slurped by bees.It is an unconventional type of honey. [16]Manuka honey is a kind of monofloral honey, has antimicrobial and antioxidant properties due to which it has its own significance.This category of honey is got from a manuka tree which is also known as a Leptospermum scoparium (Myrtaceae), is commonly found in New Zealand and eastern Australia. [17]ased on different kinds of nectar collected by honeybees, we can say about 300 kinds of honey have been identified in recent world. [18]Honey is mainly consisting of carbohydrate.The key alignment of honey is carbohydrates that subsidize 95-97% of its dehydrated mass.[23] Nutritious and corporeal properties of honey is mainly due to ketose sugar fructose and aldose sugar glucose which are monosaccharides, which are the utmost vital part of honey. [24] During the process of ripening and maturation of honey, many of these sugars are formed.Organic acids i.e., gluconic acid, acetic acid, formic acid, and citric acid have also been found in honey. [27]Acidic nature of honey (pH between 3.2 and 4.5) is due to these organic acids. [28]It also comprises of few significant amino acids, [29] enzymes, [30] vitamins and approximately 31 variable minerals such as phosphorus, sodium, calcium, potassium, sulfur, magnesium, and chlorine. [31]Earlier literatures have spotted the nearly 600 volatile alignments in it that subsidize to its possible pharmacological properties. [32]There are two main bioactive constituents of honey which are flavonoids and polyphenols.Current literatures have revealed the existence of approximately 30 types of polyphenols in it. The chemical constituents of it have clearly identified, that honey possess role in treatment of cancer, inflammation or in microbial infections that may be due to its antioxidant properties.

Chemistry of Constituents Present in Honey
Flavonoids are 15 carbon compound, including two aromatic rings combined by a pyrane nucleus which is a cluster of dynamic natural molecules. [35]The obtained flavonoids can be classified into different classes according to their structure, that are flavanols, flavones, flavanones or isoflavones.Honey consists of multiple compounds of these categories like quercetin, luteolin, pinocembrin, pinobanksin, apigenin, naringenin, hesperetin, kaempferol, chrysin, genistein and anthocyanidins. [36]igure 1 showed the structure of constituents present in honey.

Physical Characteristics of Natural Honey
Honey is a viscous liquid.The extra properties of honey are hygroscopicity which defines the capacity of honey to captivate and grasp humidity from atmosphere.On the basis of origin of honey, the surface tension of honey differs maybe due to colloidal constituents.The colour in fluid honey differs from clear and colourless (like water) to dark yellowish-brown or black.During crystallization, honey goes nimbler in colour as the glucose crystals are white. [37]es of natural honey in the past On the basis of Stone Age paintings, the application of honey by human is outlined to some 8000 years ago. [38]In ancient time, the people of Egypt, Assyrian, China, Greek and Roman used honey for wound healing and gut's diseases. [39]n this section, some medicinal uses of honey are summarised which have been applied by ancient races.In ancient time, human measured honey as a nature's most extraordinary aids to mankind.Honey is a God gift to individuals having low digestion, on the basis of texts of Ayurveda.Likewise, the thing has been highlighted that the practice of it is extremely helpful in the dealing of exasperating cough.It is observed by Ayurvedic specialists, as valued in keeping the teeth and gums well.Due to its hypnotic action, it has been applied for periods for the dealing of insomnia.In Ayurveda from a long time, honey is used for several eye disorders.By the application of honey regularly to the eyes, it recovers the eye-sight.Furthermore, honey is observed as valuable in the stoppage of cataract. [40]It was also present with wine and milk in almost all Egyptian medicines.The early Egyptians presented honey to their deities as a detriment. [41]

Antimicrobial possessions of honey
In the old system of medicine, there was an important role of medicine and during previous few years, it was exposed to test centre and medical research.In 1892, antibacterial activity of honey is described by van Ketel. [42]The literature supports that the honey has a repressive outcome to about 60 classes of bacteria.It was found to be effective against grampositives as well gram-negatives micro-organisms. [37]ngal Infections Honey had been described to inhibit the growth of fungi.Fungal growth is deceased by pure honey and toxin production is also decreased by diluted honey. [43] Honey was also inhibiting the growth of Candidiasis, caused by Candida albicans. [46]In some literature, it had been described that topical use of it has significant outcomes.It can be used in skin infections and for the treatment of dandruff. [47]tiviral Activity of Honey Honey was also revealed antiviral consequence.In 2004, Al-Waili described the result of the topical use of honey on regular occurrences of herpes abrasions and determined that superficial use of it was harmless and active in the supervision of the signs and symptoms of repeated scratches from lips. [48]hthalmology effects of honey Numerous ophthalmological circumstances like inflammation in conjunctiva, cornea, infection in eyelids, any injuries due to chemical or thermalblepharitis, keratitis, conjunctivitis, corneal injuries, chemical and thermal injuries to eyes is treated worldwide by the application of honey. [49]In conjunctivitis, application of honey decreased the soreness, inflammation, fluid release and time to bacterial abolition. [38,46,48]ney as a food source Honey is a good food source.It consists of monosaccharides like glucose, fructose besides few higher member sugars.Honey not only contains sugar but also has proteins, vitamins and minerals in rich amount.In some literature, it was described that it is an active sugar source for players before and after confrontation exercise and throughout fortitude exercise.[38] Honey as anti-diabetic Due to lower glycemic index, honey was used in both types of diabetes that is insulin dependent and independent.As equated by dextrose, honey produced a meaningly inferior growth in plasma glucose points in a diabetic person.[38] In previous studies, it was described that honey rouses insulin discharge, reduce blood glucose levels, raises haemoglobin value and recovers lipid contour.[48]

Anti-inflammatory effects of honey
The literature perceive that honey exhibited anti-inflammatory activity by inhibiting the role of cyclooxygenase enzymes 1 and 2. [50] It was similarly described that diluted honey exposed lessening outcome on absorptions of prostaglandins for example PGE2, PGF2α and thromboxane B2 in plasma of ordinary persons. [51]her effects of honey In some studies, honey showed anticarcinogenic activity. [38]Honey exhibited antineoplastic activity in the experimental bladder cancer. [52]hest pain, fatigue and vertigo was also treated by honey.This is possibly due to ingestion of honey; it provides directly available calories after consumption and give high nutritional energy. [53]Aids of honey had been showed in tooth removal hurt and contagion or cavity owed to radiation-induced xerostomia. [38]verse effects of honey There are no severe adverse effects of honey.There might be transient stinging sensation after topical application of honey.Due to pollen or bee proteins in honey, allergic reaction was there in a human body.Unnecessary use of honey might be cause to dryness of tissues which can yet be reinstated by saline packs.There might be a risk of rise in blood sugar due to application of honey on large open wound in diabetics. [38,54]

Concluding Remarks
In current scenario researchers are trying to make remedies with synthesis free origin and trust that environment friendly goods may be effective medicines in evaluation with the chemically designed products.There is a single natural product i.e., honey which has been applied for various remedial products since earliest times.Now researchers also admit honey as a novel better medication for several types of ailments due to its significant part in the outmoded medication.Honey has a vital role as an antibacterial, antifungal, skin diseases, anti-inflammatory, antineoplastic, etc.In future, researchers will come with more effective results of honey in the field of medicine.

Figure 1 :
Figure 1: Chemical structures of the flavonoids, organic acids, and phenolic ingredients in honey.