Bill Truesdell said

> If you google methylglyxol you find that it might be a factor in a
>variety 
> of health problems, especially at the concentrations noted.It is 
> interesting that subcutaneous application does cause cancer. 


It is important to note it is dietary methylglyoxal in manuka honey
formed in the nectar of the manuka plant. There is no evidence at all to
suggest this is any harm to human health in fact all the available
evidence strongly suggests it is a benefit.

Currently there is no explanation for why it forms in different at
different levels in manuka honey. This is an interesting subject of
future research.

Now the compound is known it is only the beginning of finding different
health applications for it. Further research is needed before
substantive conclusions can be drawn outside anti-bacterial
applications.

Methylglyoxal is a glycation compound. In 2006 an International Workshop
was held in Naples to examine all the scientific literature (including
those found in a google search) showing the relationship between
glycation compounds and their effect on human health. These people were
international scientific experts in glycation compounds from biology,
chemistry and medical backgrounds.

The main conclusion was there was no conclusive evidence that glycation
compounds had an adverse effect on human health. This was because the
conclusions in the scientific publications were limited because amongst
other reasons:

1. the measurement methods for methylglyoxal were not reliable;
2. methylglyoxal was examined in isolation and the science did not
consider how it works in reality in the human body;
3. the studies were one dimensional whereas a multi-disciplinary
approach is necessary since the interactions require expertise from
chemistry, biology and medical research.

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