Abstract
Honey is a sweet, viscous syrup produced by the honey bee (Apis mellifera). It is probably the first natural sweetener ever discovered, and is currently used as a nutritious food supplement and medicinal agent. The aim of the present mini-review is to summarize and update the current knowledge regarding the role of honey in CVDs based on various experimental models. It also describes the role of its phenolic compounds in treating CVDs. Many such phenolic and flavonoid compounds, including quercetin, kaempferol, apigenin, and caffeic acid, have antioxidant and anti-platelet potential, and hence may ameliorate cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) through various mechanisms, such as by decreasing oxidative stress and inhibiting blood platelet activation. However, as the phenolic content of a particular type of honey is not always known, it can be difficult to determine whether any observed effects on the human cardiovascular system may be associated with the consumption of honey or its constituents. Therefore, further experiments in this area are needed.
Highlights
Of all the lifestyle factors that play an important role in human health, nutrition is key
Honeys exerts a protective effect against cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), and this activity is dependent on multiple factors, one of which is its chemical content, especially its constituent phenolic compounds
While the antioxidant properties of honey have been found to correlate with total phenolic compound content, they most likely arise as a result of the synergic effect of the various phenolic compounds present [16,93,94,95,96]
Summary
Of all the lifestyle factors that play an important role in human health, nutrition is key. As current recommendations for the use of honey in the prophylaxis and treatment of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) in humans are based on case reports and small clinical experiments, the aim of the present mini-review is to summarize the present state of knowledge regarding the role of honey in treating CVDs, as derived from in vitro and in vivo studies based on both animals and humans. It describes the effects of its constituent phenolic and flavonoid compounds on CVDs. Its findings may have important implications for the prophylaxis and treatment of CVDs, especially in humans
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