Honey

Chapter 1: Animal Origin drugs
Prepared by: Ms. Sanya Shuja

Definition of drug and medicines
Drug is a chemical substances also called
medicine. Which is used in the treatment and
prevention or diagnosis of diseases or used
to otherwise enhance physical or mental well
being.  We can also say that, Drug is any
substance or product used or intended to be
used to modify or explore the physiological
state or pathological condition for the well
being of recipient.
Drugs of Animal Origin
From animal source relatively few but important
drugs are obtained. Following are some useful
drugs:
Hormones: Insulin, thyroxin, gonadotropins, etc.
Vitamins: Cod liver oil (vit. A).
Vaccines: Anti-rabies and antitetanus vaccine
serum (A.T.S),anti-diphtheric serum, etc.
Replacement therapy: Liver extract.
Topic: Honey as an Animal Origin Drug
Objective
 Objective of this lecture is to learn about Honey as an animal
origin drug
HONEY
Synonyms
Madhu, Madh, Mel, Purified Honey.
Biological Source
Honey is a viscid and sweet secretion stored in the honey comb

by various species of bees, such as Apis mellifera, Apis
dorsata, Apis florea, Apis indica and other species of Apis,
belonging to family Apideae (Order: Hymenotera).
Geographical Source
Honey is available in abundance in Africa, India, Jamaica,

Australia, California, Chili, Great Britain and New Zealand.
Collection and Preparation
The nectar of the flowers is a watery solution containing 25% sucrose and
75% water. The worker bee sucks this nectar through its hollow tube of
mouth (proboscis) and deposits in honey-sac located in abdomen. The
enzyme invertase present in saliva of the bee converts nectar into invert
sugar, which is partially utilized by the bee and the remaining is
deposited into honey comb. Honey comb is smoked to remove the bees
and honey is obtained by applyng the pressure to it or allowing it to
drain naturally. The honey of commerce is heated to 80°C and allowed to
stand. The impurities which float over the surface are skimmed off and
the liquid is diluted with water to produce honey of 1.35 density. Natural
honey has the density of 1.47. Many-a-time, honey is extracted from the
comb by centrifugation. It must be free from foreign substances. Honey
is liable to fermentation, unless it is suitably processed. Honey is heated
to 80°C before it is sent to the market, so as to avoid fermentation. It
should be cooled rapidly or else it darkens in colour on keeping. If
necessary (and if not prepared by centrifugation method), honey is
required to be filtered through wet cloth or funnel.
Morphology
History
 The honey used for flavouring medicinal was first known historically
as a flavoured sweetening agent and was once the official honey of
the National Formulary. Its use dates back to ancient times, with
Egyptian medical texts (between 2600 and 2200 B.C.) mentioning
honey in at least 900 remedies. Almost all early cultures universally
hailed honey for its sweetening and nutritional qualities, as well as
its topical healing properties for sores, wounds and skin ulcers.
During war time it was used on wounds as an antiseptic by the
ancient Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Chinese, and even by the
Germans as late as World War I.
 The 1811 edition of The Edinburgh New Dispensatory states, ‘From
the earliest ages, honey has been employed as a medicine, it forms
an excellent gargle and facilitates the expectoration of viscid
phlegm; and is sometimes employed as an emollient application to
abscesses, and as a detergent to ulcers’. It has consistently appeared
in modern use for the same purposes by the laity and medical
profession. Today, bees are commonly kept in Europe, the Americas,
Africa and Asia; at least 300,000 tons of honey is produced annually.
Chemical Constituents
 The average composition of honey is as follows:

Moisture 14–24%, Dextrose 23–36%, Levulose (Fructose)
30–47%, Sucrose 0.4–6%, Dextrin and Gums 0–7% and
Ash 0.1–0.8%. Besides, it is found to contain small
amounts of essential oil, beeswax, pollen grains, formic
acid, acetic acid, succinic acid, maltose, dextrin,
colouring pigments, vitamins and an admixture of
enzymes, for example, diastase, invertase and inulase.
Interestingly, the sugar contents in honey varies widely
from one country to another as it is exclusively
governed by the source of the nectar (availability of
frag-ment flowers in the region) and also the enzymatic
activity solely controlling the conversion into honey.
Chemical Tests
Adulteration in honey is determined by the following tests:
1. Fiehe’s Test for Artificial Invert Sugar: Honey (10 ml) is

shaken with petroleum or solvent ether (5 ml) for 5–10 min.
The upper ethereal layer is separated and evaporated in a china
dish. On addition of 1% solution of resorcinol in hydrochloric
acid (1 ml) a transient red colour is formed in natural honey
while in artificial honey the colour persists for sometime.
2. Reduction of Fehling’s Solution: To an aqueous solution of
honey (2 ml) Fehling’s solutions A and B are added and the
reaction mixture is heated on a steam bath for 5–10 min. A
brick red colour is produced due to the presence of reducing
sugars.
3. Limit Tests: The limit tests of chloride, sulphate and ash
(0.5%) are compared with the pharmacopoeial specifications.
Uses
 Honey shows mild laxative, bactericidal, sedative, antiseptic and alkaline characters. It
is used for cold, cough, fever, sore eye and throat, tongue and duodenal ulcers, liver
disorders, constipation, diarrhoea, kidney and other urinary disorders, pulmonary
tuberculosis, marasmus, rickets, scurvy and insomnia. It is applied as a remedy on
open wounds after surgery. It prevents infection and promotes healing. Honey works
quicker than many antibiotics because it is easily absorbed into the blood stream. It is
also useful in healing of carbuncles, chaps, scalds, whitlows and skin inflammation; as
vermicide; locally as an excipient, in the treatment of aphthae and other infection of
the oral mucous membrane. It is recommended in the treatment of preoperative
cancer. Honey, mixed with onion juice, is a good remedy for arteriosclerosis in brain.
Diet rich in honey is recommended for infants, convalescents, diabetic patients and
invalids.
 Honey is an important ingredient of certain lotions, cosmetics, soaps, creams, balms,

toilet waters and inhalations. It is used as a medium in preservation of cornea.
 Today, as in earlier times, honey is used as an ingredient in various cough

preparations. It is also used to induce sleep, cure diarrhoea, and treat asthma. A review
of literature found at least 25 scientific articles verifying honey’s wound and topical
ulcer healing powers.
 Interestingly, potent antibacterial peptides (apidaecins and abaecin) have been isolated
and characterized in the honeybee (Apis mellifera) itself and a new potent antibacterial
protein named royalisin has been found in the royal jelly of the honeybee.
Adulterant and Substitutes
 Due to the relatively high price of pure honey, it is invari-ably adulterated ether with artificial
invert sugar or simply with cane-sugar syrup. These adulterants or cheaper sub-stituents not
only alter the optical property of honey but also its natural aroma and fragrance.
Toxicology
 Generally, honey is considered safe as a sweet food product, a gargle and cough-soothing
agent, and a topical product for minor sores and wounds. However, medical reports indicate
that honey can be harmful when fed to infants because some batches contain spores
of Clostridium botu-linum, which can multiply in the intestines and result in botulism
poisoning. Infant botulism is seen most commonly in 2- to 3-month-old infants after
ingestion of botulinal spores that colonize in the GIT as well as toxin produc-tion in vivo.
Infant botulism is not produced by ingestion of preformed toxin, as is the case in food borne
botulism. Clinical symptoms include constipation fallowed by neuro-muscular paralysis
(starting with the cranial nerves and then proceeding to the peripheral and respiratory
musculature). Cases are frequently related to ingestion of honey, house dust and soil
contaminated with Clostridium botulinum. Intense management under hospital emergency
conditions and trivalent antitoxin are recommended, although use of the latter in infant
botulism has not been adequately investigated.
Marketed Product
 OLBAS Cough Syrup manufactured by Olbas Herbal Remedies, Philadelphia is mainly used for
the treatment of cough and sore throat
Dosage
Honey is a common food, and there are no dose
restrictions on its use. It has been used topically on
surgical dressings.
Pregnancy/Lactation
Generally recognized as safe or used as food. Safety
and efficacy for dosages above those in foods is
unproven and should be avoided.
Interactions
None well documented
Adverse Reactions
Some people may have allergic reactions to honey
Summary
 From animal source relatively few but important drugs are obtained. Some useful drugs
from animal source are hormones, vaccines, enzymes etc.
 Honey is a bee-concentrated and processed product of nectar from the flowers of
numerous plants
 The honey is used for flavoring medicinal and as a sweetening agent
 Honey is a thick, syrup-like liquid ranging in color from light yellow to golden brown.
It has a characteristic odor and a sweet, faintly acrid taste. Honey is naturally mildly
acidic.
 Its principle constituents are a mixture of dextrose and levulose up to 80%. Sucrose
ranges from 0.5-8%; dextrin from 1-10%.

 Honey has been used as a gargle and topical treatment for sores and wounds.
 It is an ingredient of cough preparations. It is also used to induce sleep, cure diarrhea,
and treat asthma.

 Some people may have allergic reactions to honey
References
 Eteraf-Oskouei, T., & Najafi, M. (2013). Traditional and modern uses of natural honey
in human diseases: a review. Iranian journal of basic medical sciences, 16(6), 731–742.
 S.U. Khan et al (2018). Honey: Single food stuff comprises many drugs. Saudi Journal of
Biological Sciences. Vol 25, Issue 2, Pages 320-325

 A. Ajibola, J.P. Chamunorwa, K.H. Erlwanger. (2012) Nutraceutical values of natural
honey and its contribution to human health and wealth. Nutr. Metab., Vol 9 Issue 1,
p. 61
 D.W. Ball. The chemical composition of honey (2007). J. Chem. Educ., Vol 84 Issue10,
p. 1643

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Chapter 1: Animal Origin drugs

Prepared by: Ms. Sanya Shuja

Madhu, Madh, Mel, Purified Honey.

Honey is a viscid and sweet secretion stored in the honey comb

Honey is available in abundance in Africa, India, Jamaica,

 The average composition of honey is as follows:

Adulteration in honey is determined by the following tests:

1. Fiehe’s Test for Artificial Invert Sugar: Honey (10 ml) is

 Honey is an important ingredient of certain lotions, cosmetics, soaps, creams, balms,

 Today, as in earlier times, honey is used as an ingredient in various cough

ranges from 0.5-8%; dextrin from 1-10%.

 It is an ingredient of cough preparations. It is also used to induce sleep, cure diarrhea,

and treat asthma.

Biological Sciences. Vol 25, Issue 2, Pages 320-325

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