Evidence for anticancer properties of honey with emphasis on mechanistic overview

Cancer is a multifactorial disease. At present, cancer is treated via chemotherapy and radiotherapy. These treatments are not only expensive, but also toxic to normal cells within our body. Hence, recent studies have mainly focused on deriving natural products that can help us prevent or treat cancer. Among these natural products, honey has gained importance due to its regular use as a condiment worldwide. Extensive research has shown that honey has chemopreventive properties. However, the entire pathway for its anticancer properties is still not known. The possible mechanisms may involve antioxidant, antiinflammatory, immunomodulatory, antimutagenic, antiproliferative, or antiapoptotic activities. Here, we have reviewed well-documented studies that can enable us to recognize its mode of action.