Honey: A Powerful Natural Antioxidant and Its Possible Mechanism of Action

Abstract

Honey, a supersaturated concentrated solution with complex constituents, has been used as therapeutic agent since ancient times. Natural products have been used as a substitute for various conventional treatments and drug discoveries. Different in vivo and in vitro studies have shown properties of honey including antioxidant, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancerous, and much more. Therapeutic properties of honey greatly depend on its constituent composition which may vary based on various factors like species of bee, environmental conditions, type of flower, and processing methods. Oxidative stress due to cellular metabolism and other physio-biochemical activities of the body demand the necessity of antioxidants in diet which can be fulfilled by honey. Antioxidant and other biological properties of honey are greatly determined by the polyphenol composition. This chapter comprises honey composition, type, antioxidant properties, and antioxidant mechanism of honey according to different research studies.