A new study reveals a promising role for multifloral honey in protecting human skin cells from premature aging and damage caused by ultraviolet radiation.
Honey is known for its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and antimicrobial properties, and has been used for years in some medicinal products designed to treat burns and wounds. Based on these properties, researchers from the University of Sassari in Italy sought to determine whether multifloral honey could protect skin cells from damage caused by ultraviolet radiation and enhance their ability to regenerate.
The team cultivated three types of human skin cells—dermal stem cells, fibroblasts, and keratinocytes—within a system that mimics the skin's natural environment. Before exposing the cells to ultraviolet light, the researchers treated a portion of them with a 1% multifloral honey solution for 48 hours, then compared their response to cells that did not receive this treatment.
The results showed that cells treated with honey were more resistant to UV-induced stress, particularly skin stem cells and fibroblasts. Researchers also observed a decrease in the activity of genes associated with cell aging, while the activity of genes responsible for cell protection and regeneration increased.
The results also indicated that honey boosted the cells' natural defenses by increasing their antioxidant capacity and reducing the production of nitric oxide, a compound that typically rises when cells are under stress.
Dr. Vicki Folia Kavak, a member of the research team, said that what most caught the researchers' attention was the honey's ability to help cells regain their natural balance after exposure to ultraviolet radiation, without stimulating an excessive repair response, which indicates its role in supporting protection and regeneration mechanisms in a balanced way.
To better understand these effects, the researchers analyzed gene activity associated with cellular aging, stress response, and tissue regeneration using real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). The team is currently investigating whether these changes are also reflected at the intracellular protein level.
Despite the encouraging results, the researchers emphasize that the study was conducted on cells in the laboratory, not on humans, so multifloral honey cannot be considered a treatment or alternative to sunscreens at the moment, as more studies are still needed before moving to clinical applications.
The team believes that these results may contribute in the future to the development of new skincare products, especially with the work on designing a system based on nanofibers to deliver the active compounds found in honey to the skin with greater efficiency, which may open the way for new therapeutic and cosmetic applications.
