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. The comb
is the stage for the activity of the colony and is used for
almost everything imaginable, from larval nursery to pantry to
message centre.
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:
- 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