• Properties of honey in the prevention and treatment of cancer (Review)
  • Atefeh Hagiqasemi,1 Elahe Mahmoodi Khaledi,2,* Elahe Seyed Hosseini,3
    1. Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Kashan, Kashan, Iran
    2. Department of Cell and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Chemistry, University of Kashan, Kashan, Iran
    3. Anatomical Sciences Research Center, Basic Sciences Research Institute, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran Gametogenesis Research Center, Kashan University of Medical Sciences, Kashan, Iran


  • Introduction: Honey is a sweet and natural substance produced by honeybees from the nectar of flowers or the secretions of living plant parts. This natural product consists of various carbohydrates, proteins, organic acids, amino acids, enzymes, essential minerals, and different phenolic compounds. It has been consumed by humans for a long time and is recognized as a valuable nutrient and medicinal substance. In addition to its significant role in traditional medicine, there has been a renewed interest in the medicinal properties of bee products, as they are believed to exhibit a wide range of biological activities, including antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, antiarrhythmic, antidiabetic, liver protection, wound healing, antitumor, and anti-inflammatory effects. Regarding natural compounds derived from plants or Phyto-chemicals that have been considered dietary supplements in traditional medicine for centuries, these compounds and plant products may be used as complementary treatments against cancers to reduce the size of metastatic tumors. Cancer is recognized as a global health concern with a dynamic increase in incidence and is a major cause of mortality worldwide. It encompasses a group of diseases characterized by the abnormal growth of malignant cells with the potential to invade and metastasize to other parts of the body, with nearly 19-20 million people diagnosed with cancer worldwide each year, resulting in the loss of approximately 10 million. Currently, conventional cancer treatments include surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, immunotherapy, and targeted therapy, which are associated with side effects, recurrence risks, and drug resistance. Due to these adverse factors, the use of plant-derived products, whether alone or in combination with anticancer agents, generally has fewer adverse effects on healthy cells and tissues. These products are now being investigated as complementary treatments to minimize side effects and are known to modulate chemotherapy resistance, autophagy, proliferation, and apoptosis.
  • Methods: The anticancer activity of honey has been studied using several cancer cell lines and tissues, demonstrating its ability to reduce tumorigenesis in various cancers, including breast, prostate, colorectal, cervical, endometrial, and kidney cancers. In one study, acacia honey inhibited the growth of the human breast cancer cell line MCF-7 in a dose- and time-dependent manner. In an experimental model of breast cancer in mice, honey exhibited anti-metastatic activity, potentially due to flavonoids like chrysin and quercetin present in honey. Quercetin has been shown to inhibit cell cycle progression in the M phase and halt progression in the G2 phase, inducing apoptosis in MCF-7 cells through the P38MAPK pathway. In another study, honey was able to treat human liver cancer cells (HepG2) by reducing nitric oxide levels and the number of viable HepG2 cells. The apoptotic effects of certain raw honeys on colorectal cancer cell lines (HCT 15 and HT 29) were also investigated, confirming previously reported anti-proliferative effects of honey. Additionally, in a colon cancer model in mice, pre-treatment with honey before tumor cell inoculation showed anti-metastatic effects. Thyme honey has demonstrated anti-proliferative effects in breast cancer (MCF-7), prostate cancer (PC3), and endometrial cancer cell lines, reducing cell viability by up to 10%. Another study indicated that honey significantly inhibited the proliferation of human bladder cancer cell lines, including RT4, T24, and 253J, as well as a mouse bladder cancer cell line (MBT-2).
  • Results: Overall, evidence from cellular and animal studies suggests that honey may serve as a complementary treatment to mitigate chemotherapy side effects and improve the quality of life and treatment outcomes for cancer patients. Honey is affordable, easily accessible, and has fewer side effects. However, the composition and properties of honey, along with its anticancer effects, can vary depending on the nectar source, bee species, climate, geographical region, processing methods, and packaging and storage conditions.
  • Conclusion: Standardized studies are needed to evaluate its clinical applications, as current findings indicate that honey could function as a complementary treatment to enhance the quality of life and therapeutic outcomes for cancer patients, but stronger clinical trials are essential to confirm these benefits.
  • Keywords: 1.Honey 2.Cancer 3.Phenolic and flavonoid compounds 4.Bioactive compounds