* Ericaceous plants have been implicated in poisonous honey from the beginning, and there is ample scientific evidence to support this. Grayanotoxins are responsible for the intoxication.

Pliny described madness-inducing honey from Asia Minor as "meli moenomenon" (mad honey), and also mentioned a medicinal honey from Crete, "miraculum mellis" (wondrous honey).  He noted "meli moenomenon" was made into a mead or metheglin, and toxic Ericaceae honey was traditionally added to alcoholic beverages in the Caucasus, to enhance their inebriating properties; while such toxic honey, "deli bal", is taken in Turkey as a tonic in milk. "Deli bal" was an important export from this region in the 18th century, widely used to potentiate liquors in Europe -- called miel fou, 'crazy honey' in France. 

The following remark appears to belong to Pliny: "Upon the fame coast of the Pontus, there is found another sort of honey, which is called moenomenon (insane), because those who eat of it are rendered mad. It is supposed, the bees collect it from the flowers of the rhododendrons, which is common among the forests. The people of those parts, although they pay the Romans a part of their tribute in wax, are very cautious how they offer them their honeys." 

* * *

Of particular importance are the western azalea (Rhododendron occidentale), found from Oregon to southern California; the California rosebay (Rhododendron macrophyllum), found from British Columbia to central California; and Rhododendron albiflorum, found from British Columbia to Oregon and in Colorado. Individuals who secure honey from farmers who may have only a few hives are at particular risk because the safety that results from pooling massive quantities of honey during commercial processing dilutes any toxic substances. So important is this risk of poisoning along the northern Pacific coast that emergency departments post a reminder to consider honey poisoning in the differential diagnosis of apparent acute myocardial infarction. 

The eastern half of North America has not escaped episodes intoxication. Cases have been reported from the Great Smoky Mountain region and northward into New Jersey, New England, and parts of eastern Canada. Most of these are presumed to result from grayanotoxin- contaminated honey derived from the nectar of other members of the botanical family Ericaceae, of which rhododendrons constitute one genus. In this region, mountain laurel (Kalmia latifolia) and sheep laurel (Kalmia angustifolia) are probably the most important sources of the toxin. 


"Rhododendrons, Mountain Laurel, and Mad Honey" by Kenneth F. Lampe, PhD 
Journal of the American Medical Assn Vol. 259 No. 13,  1988

* * *

“Mad honey” is honey purposely derived from grayanotoxin containing nectar of Rhododendron ponticum, a member of the Ericaceae family with particularly high concentrations of grayanotoxin. Physicians should consider this toxin when treating patients who present with bradycardia andhypotension and are from regions with grayanotoxin-containing nectars.

"Mad Honey Sex: Therapeutic Misadventures From an Ancient Biological Weapon"
Copyright © 2009 by the American College of Emergency Physicians.

             ***********************************************
The BEE-L mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software.  For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html

Access BEE-L directly at:
http://community.lsoft.com/scripts/wa-LSOFTDONATIONS.exe?A0=BEE-L