Systematic review and meta-analysis on the use of honey to protect from the effects of radiation-induced oral mucositis.

Recently, 4 separate human controlled trials reported that honey appeared to protect from the effects of radiation-induced oral mucositis formation, a complication of radiation therapy that is responsible for pain and overall reduction in quality of life. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, the authors examined 3 of these controlled trials (n = 120) that met the inclusion and exclusion criteria to determine whether honey had protective effects against radiation-induced oral mucositis. The meta-analysis demonstrated an overall relative risk reduction of 80% in the honey treatment group compared with the control. Although favorable, the data must be approached with caution because of lack of description of the method of randomization and potential bias in all 3 of the individual studies included in the meta-analysis. The results are promising, and further studies are needed to strengthen the current evidence prior to a firm clinical recommendation being given.