The protective effects of blueberry honey from Canada against H2O2-induced cytotoxicity in human buccal mucosal cells

Abstract

ObjectivesSeveral clinical trials have been conducted worldwide to evaluate the efficacy of honey against stomatitis. However, it is unclear which types of honey are effective at preventing and/or treating stomatitis. This study aimed to evaluate the potencies of several types of honey in preventing and/or curing aphthous stomatitis in in vitro studies. MethodsThe following experiments were performed: H2O2-induced cytotoxicity and mucosal cell migration in a scratch assay using buccal mucosa squamous carcinoma (HO-1-N-1) cells and the cellular expression of heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) mRNA encoding an enzyme involved in protection against oxidative stress by real-time RT-PCR analysis, and liquid–liquid extraction and UHPLC analysis in order to examine the active components of honey. ResultsOf the 13 types of honey used, Canadian blueberry honey exhibited the protective effect on H2O2-induced cytotoxicity and enhanced cell migration. In addition, blueberry honey increased the expression of HO-1 mRNA with and without cotreatment with H2O2. With regard to active components of blueberry honey, the water-soluble components with a mass of >10 kDa showed a cytoprotective effect, but they have not been identified. ConclusionCanadian blueberry honey, but not the other types of honey, prevents H2O2-induced oxidation of cells, probably through activation of the antioxidant and cytoprotective enzyme HO-1. Blueberry honey also enhanced cell migration, which may be relevant to wound healing. The results of this study suggest the possibility of prophylactic and therapeutic effects of Canadian blueberry honey on human stomatitis that could complement existing treatments.