Towards a Better Understanding of Nutritional and Therapeutic Effects of Honey and Their Applications in Apitherapy
The nutritional and therapeutic aspects of natural products have gained more interest in recent years, owing to the importance that has been given to health and well-being. In this regard, honey represents an organic product whose high level of biologically active compounds and valuable nutrients ha...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-05-01
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| Series: | Applied Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/11/9/4190 |
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| author | Alexandra-Antonia Cucu Gabriela-Maria Baci Adela Ramona Moise Ştefan Dezsi Bianca Dana Marc Ştefan Stângaciu Daniel Severus Dezmirean |
| author_facet | Alexandra-Antonia Cucu Gabriela-Maria Baci Adela Ramona Moise Ştefan Dezsi Bianca Dana Marc Ştefan Stângaciu Daniel Severus Dezmirean |
| author_sort | Alexandra-Antonia Cucu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The nutritional and therapeutic aspects of natural products have gained more interest in recent years, owing to the importance that has been given to health and well-being. In this regard, honey represents an organic product whose high level of biologically active compounds and valuable nutrients have been extensively studied in order to prove its ability to provide an enhancement in health status. The use of honey in the process of healing or preventing certain diseases has been practiced throughout history and is now known as apitherapy. The aim of this review is to expand the knowledge and understanding towards the physicochemical characteristics of honey and the action of its main bioactive compounds towards health-beneficial properties (antioxidant, antimicrobial, antifungal, antiviral, etc.) for apitherapeutic purposes. Notwithstanding all the assets, the usage of honey for medical purposes encounters some limi-tations regarding the factors that may affect the therapeutic potential of honey in apitherapy that will be pointed out in this overview. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T11:42:07Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1df33701922b4a1a83842253eb9ad8c3 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-3417 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T11:42:07Z |
| publishDate | 2021-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Applied Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-1df33701922b4a1a83842253eb9ad8c32023-11-21T18:23:56ZengMDPI AGApplied Sciences2076-34172021-05-01119419010.3390/app11094190Towards a Better Understanding of Nutritional and Therapeutic Effects of Honey and Their Applications in ApitherapyAlexandra-Antonia Cucu0Gabriela-Maria Baci1Adela Ramona Moise2Ştefan Dezsi3Bianca Dana Marc4Ştefan Stângaciu5Daniel Severus Dezmirean6Faculty of Animal Science and Biotechnology, University of Animal Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, RomaniaFaculty of Animal Science and Biotechnology, University of Animal Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, RomaniaFaculty of Animal Science and Biotechnology, University of Animal Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, RomaniaFaculty of Geography, Babeş-Bolyai University, 400084 Cluj-Napoca, RomaniaFaculty of Animal Science and Biotechnology, University of Animal Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, RomaniaRomanian Society of Apitherapy, 077125 Ilfov, RomaniaFaculty of Animal Science and Biotechnology, University of Animal Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca, 400372 Cluj-Napoca, RomaniaThe nutritional and therapeutic aspects of natural products have gained more interest in recent years, owing to the importance that has been given to health and well-being. In this regard, honey represents an organic product whose high level of biologically active compounds and valuable nutrients have been extensively studied in order to prove its ability to provide an enhancement in health status. The use of honey in the process of healing or preventing certain diseases has been practiced throughout history and is now known as apitherapy. The aim of this review is to expand the knowledge and understanding towards the physicochemical characteristics of honey and the action of its main bioactive compounds towards health-beneficial properties (antioxidant, antimicrobial, antifungal, antiviral, etc.) for apitherapeutic purposes. Notwithstanding all the assets, the usage of honey for medical purposes encounters some limi-tations regarding the factors that may affect the therapeutic potential of honey in apitherapy that will be pointed out in this overview.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/11/9/4190honeychemical compositionhuman healthnutritional valuetherapeutic effectsapitherapy |
| spellingShingle | Alexandra-Antonia Cucu Gabriela-Maria Baci Adela Ramona Moise Ştefan Dezsi Bianca Dana Marc Ştefan Stângaciu Daniel Severus Dezmirean Towards a Better Understanding of Nutritional and Therapeutic Effects of Honey and Their Applications in Apitherapy Applied Sciences honey chemical composition human health nutritional value therapeutic effects apitherapy |
| title | Towards a Better Understanding of Nutritional and Therapeutic Effects of Honey and Their Applications in Apitherapy |
| title_full | Towards a Better Understanding of Nutritional and Therapeutic Effects of Honey and Their Applications in Apitherapy |
| title_fullStr | Towards a Better Understanding of Nutritional and Therapeutic Effects of Honey and Their Applications in Apitherapy |
| title_full_unstemmed | Towards a Better Understanding of Nutritional and Therapeutic Effects of Honey and Their Applications in Apitherapy |
| title_short | Towards a Better Understanding of Nutritional and Therapeutic Effects of Honey and Their Applications in Apitherapy |
| title_sort | towards a better understanding of nutritional and therapeutic effects of honey and their applications in apitherapy |
| topic | honey chemical composition human health nutritional value therapeutic effects apitherapy |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-3417/11/9/4190 |
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