PMC

Ca²⁺ toolkit involvement. (A) The Ca²⁺ signaling response due to 4% manuka honey was significantly reduced in the presence of econazole (10 µM, 30 min pre-incubation). The arrow shows the honey addition after 60 s. Data are mean ± SEM of [Ca²⁺]_i traces assessed in different cells. Sample size: manuka honey + econazole: 40 cells from 3 exp; manuka honey: 40 cells from 3 exp. Insert. Mean ± SEM of the peak Ca²⁺ response measured under the chosen treatments. Number of cells as in A. Asterisks on bars indicate the statistical differences determined by two-way ANOVA followed by Bonferroni correction (**** p < 0.0001, * p < 0.05). (B) The Ca²⁺ response to 4% manuka honey was reduced in the presence of U73122 (10 µM, 30 min pre-incubation) and caffeine (10 mM, 30 min pre-incubation). The arrow specifies honey addition after 60 s. Data are mean ± SEM of [Ca²⁺]_i traces measured in cells. Number of cells: manuka honey: 40 cells from 3 exp; manuka honey + U73122: 40 cells from 3 exp; manuka honey + caffeine: 40 cells from 3 exp. Insert. Mean ± SEM of the peak Ca²⁺ response measured under the indicated treatments. Sample size as in B. Asterisks as in insert A (**** p < 0.0001, ** p < 0.01).

Effects of ginger and Gelam honey on apoptosis of HT29 cells. The apoptotic effects of single and combined treatments with ginger and Gelam honey were determined by Cell Death Detection ELISA after 24 hours. Data are presented as the mean ± SEM from three independent experiments. ^a(p < 0.05) significant compared to control, ^b(p < 0.05) significant compared to 2.5 mg/ml of ginger, ^c(p < 0.05) significant compared to 5.0 mg/ml of ginger, ^d(p < 0.05) significant compared to 7.5 mg/ml of ginger, e(p < 0.05) significant compared to 40 mg/ml of Gelam honey, ^f(p < 0.05) significant compared to 80 mg/ml of Gelam honey, ^g(p < 0.05) significant compared to 100 mg/ml of Gelam honey, ^h(p < 0.05) significant compared to combination of 3 mg/ml ginger and 10 mg/ml Gelam honey, ⁱ(p < 0.05) significant compared to combination of 3 mg/ml ginger and 30 mg/ml Gelam honey.

Characterization of the manuka honey induced Ca²⁺ increase in A431 cells. (A) [Ca²⁺]_i variations recorded at 0.5 s intervals induced by 4% manuka honey. Data are mean of [Ca²⁺]_i traces recorded in 40 different cells. (B) To monitor the role of honey in inducing a [Ca²⁺]_i increase, A431 cells were stimulated with 4% manuka honey (black arrow) and then the honey treatment was removed (gray arrow). When honey was removed from the medium, there was a [Ca²⁺]_i decrease. Data are mean ± SEM of [Ca²⁺]_i traces recorded in 40 different cells from 3 exp.

The inverse relationship of honey and cancer.