Honey Flower Essence by Flower Essence Services

INSUFFICIENT RELIABLE EVIDENCE to RATE

• Age-related cognitive decline. It is unclear if oral honeysuckle extract is beneficial in patients with age-related cognitive decline. Details: A small clinical study in elderly adults shows that taking honeysuckle (Lonicera caerulea) berry extract 200-400 mg, 90 minutes prior to a cognitive test, improves episodic memory, but not working memory or executive function tasks, when compared with placebo (103876). The long-term effects of honeysuckle on cognitive decline are unclear.
• Atopic dermatitis (eczema). Although there has been interest in using topical honeysuckle for atopic dermatitis, there is insufficient reliable information about the clinical effects of honeysuckle for this purpose.
• Bronchiolitis. Intravenous honeysuckle has only been evaluated in combination with other ingredients; its effect when used alone is unclear. Details: A small clinical study in children with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection shows that intravenous administration of a combination of honeysuckle, Baikal skullcap, and forsythia might decrease the duration of symptoms of bronchiolitis when compared with a control group (12613). It is unclear if these findings are due to honeysuckle, other ingredients, or the combination.
• Diabetes. Although there has been interest in using oral honeysuckle for diabetes, there is insufficient reliable information about the clinical effects of honeysuckle for this purpose.
• Dyspepsia. It is unclear if oral honeysuckle flower bud extract is beneficial in patients with dyspepsia. Details: A small clinical study in patients with functional dyspepsia shows that taking honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) flower bud extract 125 mg twice daily for 8 weeks improves gastrointestinal symptom scores when compared with placebo (103877).
• Postoperative infection. Topical honeysuckle has only been evaluated in combination with other ingredients; its effect when used alone is unclear. Details: A large open-label trial in adults with obstructive sleep apnea recovering from uvulopalatopharyngoplasty shows that gargling with honeysuckle in combination with numerous other herbs 25 mL for 5 minutes 4 times daily for 2 weeks does not reduce post-operative wound infection when compared with saline placebo (112867). The interpretation of this study is limited by the unclear dose of honeysuckle.
• Postoperative pain. Topical honeysuckle has only been evaluated in combination with other ingredients; its effect when used alone is unclear. Details: A large open-label trial in adults with obstructive sleep apnea recovering from uvulopalatopharyngoplasty shows that gargling with honeysuckle in combination with numerous other herbs 25 mL for 5 minutes 4 times daily for 2 weeks improves post-operative resting, swallowing throat pain, and patient comfort when compared with saline placebo (112867). It is unclear if this effect is due to honeysuckle, other ingredients, or the combination. The interpretation of this study is also limited by the unclear dose of honeysuckle.
• Pruritus. Although there has been interest in using topical honeysuckle for pruritus, there is insufficient reliable information about the clinical effects of honeysuckle for this purpose.
• Respiratory tract infections. Although there has been interest in using oral honeysuckle for various respiratory tract infections, including bronchitis, the common cold, influenza, and pneumonia, there is insufficient reliable information about the clinical effects of honeysuckle for these conditions.
• Rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Although there has been interest in using oral honeysuckle for RA, there is insufficient reliable information about the clinical effects of honeysuckle for this purpose.
• Urinary tract infections (UTIs). Although there has been interest in using oral honeysuckle for UTIs, there is insufficient reliable information about the clinical effects of honeysuckle for this purpose.
• Wound healing. Although there has been interest in using topical honeysuckle for wound healing, there is insufficient reliable information about the clinical effects of honeysuckle for this purpose. More evidence is needed to rate honeysuckle for these uses.

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ANTICOAGULANT/ANTIPLATELET DRUGS Interaction Rating = Moderate Be cautious with this combination. Severity = High •  Occurrence = Possible •  Level of Evidence = D Theoretically, honeysuckle might increase the risk of bleeding when taken with anticoagulant or antiplatelet drugs.  Details In vitro research shows that polyphenols extracted from honeysuckle can inhibit platelet aggregation (12610).

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General ...Orally, honeysuckle seems to be well tolerated. No adverse effects have been reported. There is insufficient reliable information available about the safety of honeysuckle when used topically. However, a thorough evaluation of safety outcomes has not been conducted.

Immunologic ...Topically, applying honeysuckle to the skin has been associated with contact dermatitis in a case report (12611). Orally, a case of biopsy-confirmed allergic drug eruption is reported in a young adult male after taking honeysuckle granules 30 grams over a 24-hour period. Symptoms resolved with discontinuation of honeysuckle and 2-weeks of antihistamine and glucocorticoid therapy (112866).

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