Honey Can Obviate Heavy Metal Toxicity: A Review.

Area of Science:

• Environmental Science
• Toxicology
• Natural Products Chemistry

Background:

• Heavy metal toxicity from arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), lead (Pb), and mercury (Hg) poses a significant global environmental and health threat.
• Conventional chelating agents are often insufficient for managing sub-chronic and chronic heavy metal toxicities.
• Scientific data suggests honey possesses properties that can counteract heavy metal-induced toxicity.

Approach:

• This review systematically collates pre-clinical studies investigating the efficacy of honey against As, Cd, and Pb toxicity.
• The literature search focused on identifying empirical evidence of honey's protective effects.
• Searches for pre-clinical data on mercury toxicity and clinical studies on all mentioned heavy metals were also conducted.

Key Points:

• Nineteen pre-clinical studies provide evidence for honey's ameliorative effects against arsenic, cadmium, and lead toxicity.
• No pre-clinical reports were found specifically addressing mercury toxicity with honey.
• No clinical studies were identified for honey's effects on these heavy metals.

Conclusions:

• Honey exhibits a notable ameliorative effect against heavy metal toxicity, particularly for arsenic, cadmium, and lead.
• This beneficial effect is primarily attributed to honey's inherent antioxidant capacity, stemming from its rich polyphenol content.
• Further research, including clinical trials, may be warranted to fully explore honey's therapeutic potential in heavy metal detoxification.