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The honey bee exhibits a combination of
individual traits and social co-operation
which is unparalleled in the animal kingdom.
A glimpse into the nest makes it apparent
why honey bees have fascinated us from the
earliest days of scientific observations.
The infrastructure of the nest, the
perfectly uniform and functional comb, is
composed of beeswax and is constructed into
a repeating series of almost perfect
hexagonal cells.
At the individual level, honey bees have not
one but three types of colony members:
queens, drones and workers, each with their
own specialisations and place in honey bee
society. The queen reigns over the nest,
surrounded by attendants and fed the rich
food she requires to perform her few but
crucial tasks in the colony. The queen
produces powerful pheromones, chemical
signals to recipient workers which control
many of their behaviours and provide part of
the 'social glue' which holds honey bee life
together. A highly organised social
structure exists within the colony and
elaborate 'dances' are used to communicate
the location of food sources.
The products of the hive are important to
the modern agricultural system. Not only do
honey bees provide us with honey, wax,
propolis, royal jelly and pollen but they
also pollinate a good portion of our crops,
including such diverse agricultural plants
as fruit trees, oilseeds, small berries and
forage crops.
Honey is a remarkable viscous liquid,
prepared by the bees from the nectars of
various plants. It has occupied a prominent
place in traditional medicines throughout
world history. The ancient Egyptians,
Assyrians, Chinese, Greeks and Romans
employed honey for wounds and diseases of
the gut. When the Children of Israel were in
Egypt or journeying through the desert,
their promised goal was a 'land flowing
with milk and honey'.
Both the holy
Qur'an and Hadith refer to
honey as a healer of disease.
'And thy Lord taught the bee to build
its cells in hills, on trees and in
(men's) habitations..... there issues
from within their bodies a drink of
varying colours, wherein is healing for
mankind. Verily in this is a Sign for
those who give thought'.
(Translation of Quran 16:68-69)
In addition, the Prophet (PBUH) said:
'Honey is a remedy for every illness and
the Qur'an is a remedy for all illness
of the mind, therefore I recommend to
you both remedies, the Qur'an and
honey.'
(Bukhari)
The reader may be surprised to learn that
the above quotation from the Qur'an is
mentioned in a well known encyclopedia on
honey (reference 3).
In recent years, scientific support is
beginning to emerge confirming the
beneficial effects of honey on certain
medical and surgical conditions. These
effects may be summarised as follows:
Antibacterial and antifungal properties
These properties of honey are well
established. Undiluted honey inhibits the
growth of bacteria such as
Staphylococcus aureus, certain gut
pathogens and fungi such as Candida
albicans. At a concentration of 30-50%,
honey has been shown to be superior to
certain conventional antibiotics in treating
urinary tract infections. The exact
mechanism of the anti-microbial effect of
honey remains obscure. Low pH, osmotic
disruption of pathogens and the
presence of bactericidal substances,
collectively called inhibine may all play a
part.
Anti-diarrhoeal properties
At a concentration of 40%, honey has a
bactericidal effect on various gut bacteria
known to cause diarrhoea and dysentery such
as Salmonella, Shigella,
enteropathogenic E. coli and
Vibrio cholera. In one study, honey
given with oral rehydration fluid was shown
to reduce the duration of bacterial
diarrhoea in infants and children.
Wound-healing and anti-inflammatory
properties
Honey is of value in treating burns,
infected surgical wounds and decubitus
ulcers. Honey is very viscous, enabling it
to absorb water from surrounding inflamed
tissue. For example, a study in West Africa
showed that skin grafting, surgical
debridement and even amputation were avoided
when local application of honey to wound
promoted healing, whereas conventional
treatment failed.
In another study, wound healing was
accelerated by application of honey in women
who had undergone radical vulvectomy for
vulval cancer. Also, it has been suggested
that honey may be useful in the treatment of
chronic, foul smelling ulcers seen in
leprosy.
Anti-tussive and expectorant properties
These anti-cough properties of honey are
related to its capacity to dilute bronchial
secretions and improve the function of the
bronchial epithelium.
Nutritional properties
Uncontaminated honey is a healthy, easily
digestible, natural and energy rich food. It
contains carbohydrates, proteins, lipids,
enzymes and vitamins. One tablespoon of
honey provides 60 calories and contains 11g
of carbohydrates, 1mg of calcium, 0.2mg of
iron, 0.lmg of vitamin B and 1mg of vitamin
C.
Honey is widely available in most
communities but its medical potential
remains grossly underutilised. Its mode of
action remains incompletely understood and
the healing properties of honey in other
clinical and laboratory situations requires
further evaluation. The miraculous
beneficial properties of honey, so
beautifully ex-pressed in the holy Qur'an
and Sunnah 14 centuries ago expose the
reluctance of modern science to accept and
exploit this 'traditional remedy'.
Selected References:
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Ali A.T.M.M. (1989) The Pharmacological
Characterization and the Scientific
Basis of the Hidden Miracles of Honey;
Saudi Medical Journal 10(3):177-179
-
Zumla A. and Lulat A. (1989) Honey- a
remedy rediscovered; J Royal Soc Med
82:384-385
-
Crane E. (1975) Honey: a comprehensive
survey;London, Heineman
-
Winston M.L. (1987) The Biology of the
Honey Bee;London, Harvard University
Press
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