Honey is a sugar secretion produced by bees from the nectar of various flowers. It is a saturated solution of sugars like glucose, fructose and sucrose. The color ranges from pale yellow to brown depending on the floral source. Honey has a sweet taste with faint acidity and contains enzymes, proteins, vitamins and pollen grains. Common adulterants are invert sugar, sucrose and glucose which alter honey's chemical properties like specific rotation. Honey is used as a sweetener and demulcent in cough syrups, creams and foods due to its nutritional and antimicrobial qualities.

1. Honey
Prepared by : Madhu Bharvadiya
B.Pharm (3rd Sem)
Apip, Jamnagar.

2. Synonyms :
• Madhu, Honey purified, Me.
Biological Source :
• Honey is a sugar secretion deposited in honey comb by the
bees.
• APIs mellifera, Apis dorsata and other species of Apis.
• Family Apdae, order Hymenoptera.
Geographical Source :
• Honey is produced in Africa, Australia, New Zealand,
California and India.

3. Description :
Colour : pale yellow to yellowish brown
Odour : Characteristic, pleasant.
Odour and taste depend very largely on the flowers used in
its preparation.
Taste : Sweet and faintly acid.
Standards :
1. Weight per ml : 1.35 to 1.40 gm.
2. Specific rotation : +3° to -10°.
3. Total Ash : 0.1 to 0.8%
• It has to pass limit tests for chloride and sulphate.
• It is soluble in water and insoluble in alcohol.

4. Chemical Constituents:
• Honey is aqueous solution of glucose 35%, fructose 45%, and
sucrose about 2%.
• The proportion of sugar may vary depending upon the source of
nectar and enzymatic activity responsible for converting nectar into
the honey.
• The other constituents of honey are maltose, gum, traces of
succinic acid, acetic acid, dextrin, formic acid, colouring matters,
enzymes (invertase, insulase) and traces of vitamins.
• Proteins and pollen grains from various flowers are also found in
honey.
• Since, honey is a saturated solution of sugar, on keeping, it starts
crystallising.
• A product which contains crystallised dextrose is called as
Granulated honey.

5. Chemical test :
Limit test :
• The limit tests of chloride, sulphate and ash (0.5%) are compared
with the pharmacopoeial specifications.
Test Observation Inference
Honey + fehling’s
solution A & B
Red ppt
_________
Honey is present
Sugar solution +
molisch’s reagent +
con. H2So4
Purplecolour ring
formed
__________
Honey is present

6. Uses :
• Honey is used as a demulcent and sweetening agent.
• It is assimilated and hence is a good Nutrient to infants and
patients.
• It is antiseptic and applied to Burns and wounds.
• It is common ingredient of several cough mixture, cough
drops and vehicle for ayurvedic formulations.
• It is used in preparation of creams, lotions, soft drinks and
candies.
• India is producing 11000 tonnes of honey per year.
• Honey is used for oxymel and squill oxymel.

7. Adulterant :
• The most common adulterants are invert sugar, sucrose
and commercial glucose.
• Artificial invert sugar, an adulterant of honey contains
furfural which is detected by Fiehe’s test.
• It gives instant red colour with resorcinol in hydrochloric
acid.
• All these alter the rotation of honey.