MAD HONEY
Honey contaminated with grayanotoxins from Rhododendron nectar, traditionally used as medicine but capable of causing severe cardiac and neurological toxicity.
Mad honey has been used for centuries in traditional medicine across the Black Sea region, Himalayas, and Turkey for hypertension, gastrointestinal disorders, and as a sexual stimulant. A systematic review of 1199 cases found poisoning predominantly affects males aged 41-65, with sinus bradycardia (79.6%), AV block (45.8%), and hypotension as cardinal features. No deaths were reported in modern medical literature, though life-threatening complications including cardiac asystole, convulsions, and myocardial infarction have been documented. Treatment is primarily supportive with IV fluids and atropine, with most patients recovering within 24 hours. The evidence base consists almost entirely of case reports and case series; no controlled clinical trials exist to support therapeutic use, and toxin concentration in honey varies enormously by region, season, and Rhododendron species, making dosing inherently unpredictable.