Bee Honey Added to the Oral Rehydration Solution in Treatment of Gastroenteritis in Infants and Children

Among honey's benefits are its anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects. Because gastroenteritis is an acute inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract that may be caused by a variety of microbes, the aim of the present study was to verify whether the addition of honey in oral rehydration solution (ORS) could affect the duration of symptoms of acute gastroenteritis in infants and children. One hundred infants and children with acute gastroenteritis were randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups, each consisting of 50 patients: Group I received ORS for rehydration (control), and Group II received ORS with honey. The mean ages of patients of Groups I and II were 1.5 +/- 1.2 and 1.1 +/- 0.8 years, respectively. In the honey-treated group the frequencies of vomiting and diarrhea were significantly reduced compared to the control group (P<.001 and P<.05, respectively). Also, the recovery time, defined as the number of hours from initiation of treatment to when normal soft stools are passed, with the patient showing normal hydration and satisfactory weight gain, was significantly shortened after honey ingestion (P<.001). In conclusion, honey added to ORS promoted rehydration of the body and sped recovery from vomiting and diarrhea.