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Published on: March 17, 2015
Effect of honey on 50% complement hemolytic activity in infants with protein energy malnutrition: a randomized
Mamdouh Abdulmaksoud Abdulrhman1, May Fouad Nassar, Hisham Waheed Mostafa
1Faculty of Medicine, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt. mamdouh565@hotmail.com
Insights
Honey supplementation improved complement hemolytic activity (CH50) in children with protein energy malnutrition (PEM). This suggests honey may help restore immune function in malnourished individuals, though further research on infection rates is needed.
Area of Science:
- Immunology
- Nutritional Science
- Pediatrics
Background:
- Protein energy malnutrition (PEM) significantly impairs cell-mediated immunity and the complement system, increasing infection susceptibility.
- The complement system, specifically 50% complement hemolytic activity (CH50), is crucial for immune defense.
- Restoring immune function is a key challenge in managing PEM.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of honey supplementation on CH50 levels in pediatric patients with PEM.
- To compare the impact of honey versus placebo on immune markers alongside nutritional rehabilitation.
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled trial involving 30 pediatric patients with PEM and 20 healthy controls.
- Patients received either honey or placebo in addition to standard nutritional rehabilitation for 2 weeks.
- Measurements included anthropometric data, serum albumin, and CH50 levels before and after the intervention.
Main Results:
- Patients with PEM had significantly lower baseline CH50 levels compared to controls.
- Both honey and placebo groups showed significant increases in CH50 post-rehabilitation.
- The honey supplementation group exhibited a significantly greater increase in CH50 compared to the placebo group.
- Improvements in anthropometric measures and serum albumin did not significantly differ between groups.
Conclusions:
- Honey supplementation significantly enhances 50% complement hemolytic activity (CH50) in pediatric patients with protein energy malnutrition (PEM).
- While nutritional rehabilitation alone improves CH50, honey provides an additional benefit.
- Further studies are required to determine if honey's effect on CH50 translates to reduced infection frequency and severity in PEM patients.
Abstract:
Protein energy malnutrition (PEM) is associated with a significant impairment of cell-mediated immunity and complement system, which may be responsible for the high incidence of infections among these patients. This study was designed to examine the effect of honey, as a natural substance, on the 50% complement hemolytic activity (CH50) in patients with PEM. Thirty patients with PEM and 20 healthy infants serving as controls participated in this study. The patients were randomized to receive either honey (group 1) or placebo (group 2), in addition to conventional nutritional rehabilitation therapy. Measurements of weight, midarm circumference, skin fold thickness, serum albumin, and CH50 were done for all patients before and after 2 weeks of rehabilitation. Before nutritional rehabilitation, the CH50 was significantly lower in the PEM groups compared with the control. However, after rehabilitation, the CH50 increased significantly in both PEM groups, compared with the pre-interventional state and with the controls. Moreover, the rise of CH50 was significantly more in the honey group compared with the placebo. On the other hand, the improvement in the anthropometric measures and serum albumin did not differ significantly between the honey and placebo groups after rehabilitation. Thus honey supplementation in patients with PEM increased the level of CH50. Whether this would have an effect on the frequency and severity of infections in patients with PEM needs further studies.
