Molecular Mechanisms of Phytochemicals from Honey in Prevention and Treatment of Cancer

Honey-an important natural compound and a renowned native food product-is exploited since immemorial times for its medical properties. Its medicinal properties have fascinated the humans so much as it has earned a dominating spot in conventional medicine. Currently more research is going on in exploring the natural compounds present in the honey for promoting human health. Honey contains more than 200 bioactive components besides glucose, fructose, minerals, vitamins, amino acids and enzymes (Da Silva et al., Food Chem 196:309-323, 2016). The composition of honey depends on the type of plants on which honeybee (Apis mellifera) nourishes. Different kinds of phytochemicals present in the honey with high phenolic content, polyphenols and flavonoids mainly contribute to its high medicinal properties including its antioxidant and anticancer action (Iurlina et al., Food Chem 115:1141-1149, 2009; Pyrzynska and Biesaga, TrAC Trends Anal Chem 28:893-902, 2009; Yao et al., Food Chem 81:159-168, 2003). The polyphenolic compounds present in the honey have been found to possesses anti-proliferative effects against various types of cancers (Jaganathan and Mahitosh, J Biomed Biotechnol 2009:830616, 2009). These studies summarized the significant role of the bioactive species present in honey for different diseases. In this review, we critically examine the anticancer properties and molecular mechanisms of different bioactive components present in honey.