Authors: K. Kromerová 1,2; V. Bencko 1 Authors‘ workplace: Univerzita Karlova v Praze Ústav hygieny a epidemiologie 1. LF a VFN, Praha Prednosta: prof. MUDr. Milan Tuček, CSc. 1; Úrad verejného zdravotníctva Slovenskej republiky, Bratislava Riaditeľ: Mgr. RNDr. MUDr. Ján Mikas, PhD. 2 Published in: Prakt. Lék. 2019; 99(6): 258-261 Category: Of different specialties
There is a lot of information about the nutritional and medicinal properties of honey. However, honey may contain compounds that can lead to toxicity. Phytotoxins are secondary plant metabolites that show acute or chronic toxicity or have anti-nutritional effects. Bees feeding on the flowers of toxic plants can result in contamination of honey. An example is honey obtained from the nectar of the Rhododendron family plants containing grayanotoxins (GTX), called "mad" or "bitter" honey. Physicians should think about the possibility of consuming "mad honey" in cases of sudden unexplained hypotension and bradyarrhythmia in previously healthy patients.
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