(Processing Techniques) on Honey – a Contemporary Review
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REVIEW ARTICLE ISSN 2456-0170 EFFECT OF SAMSKARA (PROCESSING TECHNIQUES) ON HONEY – A CONTEMPORARY REVIEW 1Dr Sowmya H.Y 2Dr Satish pai 3Dr Manjula S.N 1PG Scholar, 2Reader & Head, Department of Dravyaguna, JSSAMC, Mysuru 3Professor & Head, Department of Pharmacology, JSS College of Pharmacy-Mysuru ABSTRACT Honey is the sweet yellowish liquid produced by honey bees. It is one of the most valued and appreciated natural substance known to mankind since ancient times. Honey is considered synergistic, which can be compared to yogavahi property explained in classics. Samskara is one of the important concepts of Ayurveda and its significance has been elaborated even with food as one among the factors of Ashta ahara-vidhi-vishesha-ayatanas. Concept of honey turning into poison due to heating is highlighted in Ayurvedic litreture and therefore needs careful evaluation for its safety and efficacy. Madhu-Samskara is being explained in classics for specific outcomes in particular condition. Researches carried out on honey so far is primarily based on dosage, pharmacological activities and analytical procedures have thrown some light on physico-chemical changes and related influence on efficacy. This review article aims at substantiating the concept of Samskara of Madhu (Honey). KEYWORDS: Samskara, Yogavahi, Hydroxy methyl forfurol, Maillard reaction, Poly phenols INTRODUCTION Honey, a natural food product, is a an interesting source of natural macro and sweet, viscous substance that is formed from micro-nutrients, consisting of a saturated the nectar of flowers by honeybees (Apis solution of sugars, of which fructose and mellifera; Family: Apidae) 1. Both ancient as glucose are the main contributors, but also well as modern science has accepted honey of a wide range of minor constituents, as medicine and food. Honey has had a especially phenolic compounds5, 6. valued place in traditional medicine for Apitherapy has become a major focus of centuries2, 3. The ancient Egyptians, research involving alternative medicine Assyrians, Chinese, Greeks and Romans because a wide variety of well-known employed honey for wounds and diseases of preventive or curative methods from folk the gut. Honey was the most popular medicine use honey to treat different Egyptian drug being mentioned 500 times in ailments and the therapeutic properties of 900 remedies4. Honey is produced by bees honey have been increasingly documented from plant nectars, plant secretions and in the modern scientific literature7, 8, 9. For a excretions of plant-sucking insects. long time, it has been observed that honey According to nutrient profile, it represents can be used to overcome liver, 715 www.ayurpub.com Jan-Feb 2018 Vol III, Issue 1 Satish pai et al; Effect of Samskara (Processing Techniques) on Honey – A Contemporary Review cardiovascular and gastrointestinal Honey, which comprises predominantly problems10. monosaccharides and oligosaccharides, Ayurvedic literature emphasizes great contains at least 181 bio active importance to Madhu for its use as ahara constituents12. It is composed of 17% water and aushadha. It is well understood that the and 82% carbohydrates; honey has low success of the treatment lies in yukti- content of fat, dietary fibre and protein13. In pramana of the physician, who should a 100-gram serving, honey provides 304 decide specific medicine in suitable kilocalories with no essential nutrients in conditions by considering various factors of significant content.14 Honey is a mixture of both patient and medicine. Samskara is one sugars and carbohydrates mainly fructose such procedure greatly employed in (about 38%) and glucose (about 32%), with altering/modifying qualities of ahara and remaining sugars including maltose, sucrose, aushadha according to the need. Processing and other complex carbohydrates13. The of honey is much debated topic today as glycemic index ranges from 31 to 78, there are contradictory statements made in depending on the variety15. The specific different texts regarding its after effects. composition, colour, aroma, and flavour of Present review is based on various findings any batch of honey depend on the flowers observed as well as documented so far in foraged by bees that produced the honey16. public domain. In Ayurveda, Madhu is classified into Sources of data collection: eight types on the basis of type of honeybee Details of present study were collected from which secretes nectar among which different Ayurvedic treatises and bio-medical Makshika Madhu is considered best. The lexicon, research works, articles published classification along with their guna karma in various journals and from few search and roghagnatha are mentioned in (Table engines. No; 2). Madhu is having Madhura rasa with Physical and chemical properties Kashaya anurasa and is Guru, Rooksha, Depending on the type of floral origin Sookshma, Vishada, Sheeta Veerya and katu (Tabel 1), temperature, moisture content and Vipaka. Susruta opines is tridosha shamaka. proportions of specific sugars, physical The other properties of Madhu are Deepana, properties of honey varies. Honey in fresh Grahi, Lekhana, Balya, Sandhana, state is translucent, thick, syrupy liquid. The Srotovishodhana, Swarya, Varnya, Vrshya, colour is pale yellow or reddish–brown and Hrdya, Prasadajanaka, Soukumarya, it possesses pleasant odour and sweet taste Medhya and Ruchikaraka. It is good in which is dependent upon the floral source of alleivating the ailments of Netra, Chardi, the product. The specific composition, Visha, Hikka, Shwasa Kasa, Shosha, colour, aroma and flavour of honey depend Atisara, Raktapitta, Krimi, Trshna, Moha, on the flowers foraged by bees that Medoroga, Kushta, Arshas, Kshata and produced the honey11. Kshaya17. Madhu differs in its qualities based on the Nutrious content in honey duration of storage as storage has effect on 716 www.ayurpub.com Jan-Feb 2018 Vol III, Issue 1 Satish pai et al; Effect of Samskara (Processing Techniques) on Honey – A Contemporary Review the properties of Madhu. The details have of honey along with anti-diabetic agents will been mentioned in (table 4). Samskara is the prevent the complications of disease and process to modify the natural properties of modern drug23-26. This synergistic activity the substances. It is interesting fact that can be attributed to the concept of when honey is processed its Yogavahitwa of Madhu27. Yogavahi property pharmacological activity changes. Samskara of honey is because it is produced from is one of the important concepts of different vareities of dravyas (Kaiyadeva Ayurveda. Samskara as transformation of nighantu)28. This may be the reason for inherent attributes of a substance. The usage of Madhu with different drugs in concept of Samskara according to Acharya different condition, example in case of all Charaka emphasizes increasing useful gunas types of prameha, honey is adviced as and removing harmful dosha. Kala can also anupana almost with many drugs and be considered as one of the samskara preparation as it imbibes the qualities of explained in Ayurveda18. substance with which it is combined and kaiyadeva nighantu, rajanighantu and enhances the action29. contemporary sciences have supported the Madhu samskara vidhi30 view of samskara of Madhu. In kaiyadeva Eight parts of Madhu has to be mixed with nighantu, under ausadha varga, honey is one part of water and must be heated/boiled explained to be beneficial in different till the quantity of honey is reduced to its condition if it is used in different forms and original volume. While explaining also advices Madhupaka (processing of madhupaka with other liquids such as honey) in which processed honey is used Triphala kashaya, dugdha, Haridra jala and along with different substances in different Gomutra, specific quantity is not mentioned conditions. Along with cows urine in hence taken in equal quantity. Durmamsa (tumours), with triphalakwatha Pasteurization in sthoulya (obesity), with milk for Vrana Processing is carried out in temperature ropana, with turmeric juice for Vrana- 161 °F (72 °C) or higher. Pasteurization shodhana and finally along with jala it is destroys yeast cells and liquefies any micro advised in all diseases19. The concept of crystals in the honey, which delays the onset yogavahi which is explained in Ayurveda of visible crystallization. Heating of honey can be correlated to the concept of is done at particular temperature however; bioavailability enhancers20,21. On the basis excessive heat exposure also results in of traditional use, honey is considered the product deterioration, as it increases the best Yogavahi by many authors in level of hydroxyl methyl forfurol Ayurveda. Honey is considered as one of (HMF) and reduces enzyme (e.g. diastase) best yogavahi dravya22. It is regarded to be activity. Appearance (darkens the natural having synergistic activity when used along honey colour), taste and fragrance are all with other substances as per earlier studies affected by heat31. conducted. In case of diabetes, various Effect of heat on honey: experimental studies have proved that usage 717 www.ayurpub.com Jan-Feb 2018 Vol III, Issue 1 Satish pai et al; Effect of Samskara (Processing Techniques) on Honey – A Contemporary Review Honey is thermally treated for several of heat treatment40. However, high- reasons. Viz., molecular-mass melanoidins have also been 1. Heating eases the processing of bottling identified as the main components by reducing the viscosity of honey32, but responsible for radical scavenging capacity also