Honey’s medical uses may go beyond healing wounds, as laboratory experiments suggest multifloral honey could strengthen human skin cells’ defenses against damaging UV radiation.
Ultraviolet (UV) radiation from sunlight can accelerate skin aging and place cells under stress, potentially contributing to damage that precedes skin cancer. As scientists explore ways to better protect the skin, researchers in Italy are investigating whether multifloral honey could help human skin cells withstand UV exposure.
Honey is already valued in medicine and cosmetics for its antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and wound-healing properties. Sterile honey-based dressings, gels, and ointments are used to treat burns and difficult-to-heal wounds.
Dr. Fikiye Fulya Kavak, a member of Professor Margherita Maioli’s research team at the University of Sassari, Italy, drew inspiration from her background in medical biology and interests in beekeeping and cosmetic science.
“I have always been interested in the fact that certain honeys, such as Manuka honey, are used in medical-grade applications,” Kavak said. “This led me to ask whether high-quality multifloral honey could also show measurable protective effects for human skin cells.”
To investigate, the researchers grew human skin stem cells, fibroblasts, and keratinocytes together in a continuously flowing bioreactor designed to simulate conditions in human skin. Some cultures received a 1% multifloral honey treatment for 48 hours before UV exposure, while others remained untreated.
The team then compared how the cells responded to UV-induced stress. Using real-time quantitative PCR, they also measured the activity of selected genes involved in aging, stress responses, tissue renewal, and stemness, the ability of stem cells to reproduce themselves or develop into specialized cells.
Honey-treated cells show stronger defenses
The results suggested that honey pretreatment helped skin stem cells and fibroblasts regulate their responses to UV damage. “In skin stem cells, honey increased the expression of stemness-related markers, while reducing the expression of aging-associated genes,” Kavak said.
Honey-treated stem cells also released less nitric oxide and showed greater antioxidant capacity, suggesting improved defenses against UV-induced stress. Genetic analysis further revealed increased expression of stress-protection genes and changes in signals controlling cell proliferation and renewal.
“What was particularly interesting was that honey seemed to help the cells find a healthier balance after UV stress,” Kavak said. “Rather than pushing the cells into an exaggerated repair response, it appeared to support protective mechanisms while keeping renewal-related signals under control.”
Honey is no substitute for sunscreen
The findings offer an early indication that multifloral honey could support skin protection, although the researchers have not established whether these effects occur in people.
“Our study was performed in cell-based experimental models, not in humans, so further laboratory, preclinical, and clinical studies are needed before any practical recommendation can be made,” Kavak said. Honey should therefore not be considered an alternative to sunscreen.
From cell signals to potential treatments
The team is now investigating the molecular mechanisms behind these responses. “We have been working on protein-level validation studies to confirm whether the molecular changes observed at the mRNA level are also reflected at the protein level,” Kavak said.
Researchers are also exploring a nanofiber-based system that could eventually deliver honey’s active compounds in a controlled, skin-compatible form for cosmetic or medical applications.
“These nanofibers have already been characterized, and their biological evaluation is currently ongoing,” Kavak said. “This represents an important next step, as nanofiber-based systems may provide a more advanced platform for studying the potential skin-related applications of natural bioactive compounds such as multifloral honey.”
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