Honey infused with herbs: A boon to cure pathological diseases

Formulation and evaluation of therapeutic antimicrobial citrus and Manuka honey creams with aloe vera, mint essential oil, and Indian costus

Honey has long been recognized for its antimicrobial properties, attributed to components such as polyphenols and biodefense proteins. Among honey types, Manuka honey, rich in methylglyoxal, and citrus honey, abundant in flavonoids and bioactive enzymes, exhibit potent antimicrobial activity. This study aims to enhance the antimicrobial and antibiofilm efficacy of Manuka and citrus honey by incorporating natural additives-aloe vera, Indian costus, and mint essential oil-into cream formulations. Two emulsion types, aerosil fumed silica-based and arabic gum-based, were prepared and optimized using sonication. The antimicrobial activity of these formulations was assessed against pathogenic bacteria, including Bacillus cereus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica serovar Typhimurium, Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, Micrococcus luteus, Escherichia coli O157:H7, and Klebsiella pneumoniae, as well as fungi such as Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger. The most effective formulations demonstrated inhibition zones of up to 28 mm against B. cereus and 24 mm against S. Typhimurium. Additionally, antibiofilm activity was evaluated using a 3D biofilm model, with formulations containing citrus honey and Indian costus or Manuka honey and aloe vera achieving biofilm reductions of 44.39% and 21.33%, respectively, against P. aeruginosa and MRSA. Furthermore, the composition of the citrus honey was analyzed using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to identify the volatile and non-volatile compounds contributing to their antimicrobial properties. These findings suggest that honey-based formulations enhanced with natural additives hold significant potential for combating biofilm-associated infections.

Effect of honey, as a natural deep eutectic solvent, on the phytochemical stability and anti-inflammatory activity of Eurycoma longifolia Jack

The use of Eurycoma longifolia Jack (EL) in combination with honey is widely recognized in conventional medicine because of its aphrodisiac and pyretic properties. However, the effects of honey, a natural deep eutectic solvent (NADES), on the phytochemical stability and anti-inflammatory activity of EL remain unknown. This study aimed to investigate the effect of honey on phytochemical and anti-inflammatory effects of EL. The stabilities of bioactive compounds, including eurycomanone (EU), 9-hydroxycanthine-6-one (9HCO), and 9-methoxycanthine-6-one (9MCO), were evaluated after treating EL with honey. The anti-inflammatory activity was assessed by measuring the inhibition of NO production in lipopolysaccharide-induced RAW264.7 macrophages. The EL formulations treated with honey exhibited significantly higher yields of EU and 9HCO; however, a decrease in 9MCO was observed. After a 90 day infusion, the anti-inflammatory activities of honey-treated EL (9.19-68.73% NO inhibition) and simulated honey-NADES-treated EL (5.37-66.68% NO inhibition) were slightly lower than that of the non-treated EL extract (10.34-77.93% NO inhibition). Nonsugar honey constituents also exhibited anti-inflammatory effects. The combination of EL extract and honey resulted in a slightly lower anti-inflammatory activity (11.66-68.55% NO inhibition) compared with the EL extract. Honey and NADES enhanced the extraction and stabilization of bioactive compounds from EL. The anti-inflammatory properties of EL were preserved after honey treatment, indicating that honey-treated EL is a potential natural treatment for inflammatory conditions.

Release of elements and phenolic and flavonoid compounds from herbs and spices into acacia honey during infusion

Acacia honey was infused with basil, oregano, marjoram, dill, garlic or cinnamon at infusion rates of 0-5% by mass for a 6 months period. After removal of the infusates, macro and micro element concentrations were measured by Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry. Total phenolic and flavonoid contents were determined spectroscopically. The greatest release of elements, phenols and flavonoids, (% release/1% infusion rate) were for phenols (1.22-3.74, respectively), flavonoids (0.12-2.18), K (0.39-0.78), P (0.14-0.87), and S (0.07-0.85). The least release was for Ba (0.04-0.17), Fe (0.03-0.41) and B (- 0.006 to 2.33). Dill showed the most important effect on the Na concentration of honey enriched (at 5.00%) with > 90 times higher content (328 ± 4 mg/kg) compared to control honey (3.46 ± 0.07 mg/kg). Sr content was more than 50 times higher in honey enriched with marjoram (1383 ± 10 µg/kg), and honey enriched with dill showed more than 30 times higher Fe content (4112 ± 14 µg/kg). Enrichment with dill had the greatest effect on Ca, Cu, K, Mg, Na and Fe content of control honey, and garlic had the most important effect on the B, P, S, Zn, TP and TF content. Enrichment with these herbs and spices resulted in increases in element, total phenolic and flavonoid content of acacia honey.

Honey Enriched with Additives Alleviates Behavioral, Oxidative Stress, and Brain Alterations Induced by Heavy Metals and Imidacloprid in Zebrafish

Environmental concerns have consistently been a focal point for the scientific community. Pollution is a critical ecological issue that poses significant threats to human health and agricultural production. Contamination with heavy metals and pesticides is a considerable concern, a threat to the environment, and warrants special attention. In this study, we investigated the significant issues arising from sub-chronic exposure to imidacloprid (IMI), mercury (Hg), and cadmium (Cd), either alone or in combination, using zebrafish (Danio rerio) as an animal model. Additionally, we assessed the potential protective effects of polyfloral honey enriched with natural ingredients, also called honey formulation (HF), against the combined sub-chronic toxic effects of the three contaminants. The effects of IMI (0.5 mg·L-1), Hg (15 μg·L-1), and Cd (5 μg·L-1), both individually and in combination with HF (500 mg·L-1), on zebrafish were evaluated by quantifying acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity, lipid peroxidation (MDA), various antioxidant enzyme activities like superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase (SOD and GPx), 2D locomotor activity, social behavior, histological and immunohistochemical factors, and changes in body element concentrations. Our findings revealed that all concentrations of pollutants may disrupt social behavior, diminish swimming performances (measured by total distance traveled, inactivity, and swimming speed), and elevate oxidative stress (OS) biomarkers of SOD, GPx, and MDA in zebrafish over the 21-day administration period. Fish exposed to IMI and Hg + Cd + IMI displayed severe lesions and increased GFAP (Glial fibrillary acidic protein) and S100B (S100 calcium-binding protein B) protein expression in the optic tectum and cerebellum, conclusively indicating astrocyte activation and neurotoxic effects. Furthermore, PCNA (Proliferating cell nuclear antigen) staining revealed reduced cell proliferation in the IMI-exposed group, contrasting with intensified proliferation in the Hg + Cd group. The nervous system exhibited significant damage across all studied concentrations, confirming the observed behavioral changes. Moreover, HF supplementation significantly mitigated the toxicity induced by contaminants and reduced OS. Therefore, the exposure to chemical mixtures offers a more complete picture of adverse impacts on aquatic ecosystems and the supplementation with bioactive compounds can help to reduce the toxicity induced by exposure to environmental pollutants.

The modern scientific mystery of traditional Chinese medicine processing--take some common traditional Chinese medicine as examples

The processing of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is a unique traditional pharmaceutical technology in China, which is the most important feature that distinguishes Chinese medicine from natural medicine and plant medicine. Since the record in Huangdi Neijing (Inner Canon of the Yellow Emperor), till now, the processing of TCM has experienced more than 2000 years of inheritance, innovation, and development, which is a combination of TCM theory and clinical practice, and plays an extremely important position in the field of TCM. In recent years, as a clinical prescription of TCM, Chinese herbal pieces have played a significant role in the prevention and control of the COVID-19 and exhibited their unique value, and therefore they have become the highlight of China's clinical treatment protocol and provided Chinese experience and wisdom for the international community in the prevention and control of the COVID-19 epidemic. This paper outlines the research progress in the processing of representative TCM in recent years, reviews the mechanism of the related effects of TCM materials after processing, such as changing the drug efficacy and reducing the toxicity, puts forward the integration and application of a variety of new technologies and methods, so as to reveal the modern scientific mystery of the processing technology of TCM.