Mad honey is a natural type of honey obtained by honey bees collecting, dehydrating, and maturing the flower nectars of Rhododendron ponticum and Rhododendron luteum species, which naturally grow along the coastal areas of the Black Sea Region and belong to the Ericaceae family. Commonly known among the public as “bitter honey” or “dizzy honey,” this honey is distinguished by its high content of grayanotoxins. The primary characteristic of this honey is that the grayanotoxins it contains directly affect the nervous and muscular systems, potentially causing various symptoms of intoxication following consumption.
Mad Honey (AA)
This type of honey is produced along the coastal belt of the Black Sea Region, particularly in the areas surrounding Kastamonu, Artvin, Rize, Trabzon, Ordu, and Giresun. Its production is limited to a short period of approximately 15–20 days each year, corresponding to the brief flowering season of rhododendron plants.
Botanical Characteristics
Rhododendrons (Rhododendron spp.) are shrub and tree-like plants comprising approximately 700 species, distributed across regions such as China, Tibet, Nepal, Burma, New Guinea, Europe, and North America. In Türkiye, five species are naturally found: R. ponticum, R. luteum, R. caucasicum, R. smirnovii, and R. ungernnii, along with 12 associated taxa. Commonly known among the local population by names such as ağu and komar, rhododendrons grow naturally in forest clearings and coastal woodlands stretching from the western to the eastern parts of the Black Sea Region.
Honey Bees Foraging on Rhododendron Flowers (AA)
Grayanotoxins and Their Mechanism of Action
Grayanotoxins are neurotoxic compounds found in Rhododendron species. They bind to voltage-gated sodium channels on cell membranes and prevent these channels from closing. This leads to continuous cellular excitation and disruption of neural transmission. Due to excessive Na⁺ influx, persistent depolarization occurs, resulting in serious physiological effects, particularly in nerve and muscle cells.
Rhododendrons (AA)
Toxic Properties and Effects
Mad honey can cause poisoning when consumed in amounts exceeding a certain threshold due to its high grayanotoxin content. Symptoms of intoxication include a burning sensation in the skin and throat, dizziness, headache, vertigo, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, bradycardia (slow heart rate), hypotension, hallucinations, temporary blindness, confusion, and coma. In cases of excessive consumption, serious outcomes such as coma or death may occur.
Case Reports of Mad Honey Intoxication
Mad honey intoxication is a potentially serious, though generally self-limiting, toxicological condition caused by the grayanotoxins present in honey produced from the nectar of Rhododendron species. This phenomenon has been frequently reported by healthcare systems, particularly in Türkiye and other regions where mad honey production is widespread.
Historical and Cultural Significance
The toxic effects of mad honey have been known since ancient times. Classical sources such as Xenophon, Strabo, and Pliny the Elder recorded incidents along the Black Sea coast, particularly in the Pontus region, where Roman soldiers experienced intoxication, unconsciousness, and temporary paralysis after consuming mad honey. In 67 BC, King Mithridates VI of Pontus is documented to have used mad honey as a biological weapon against the Roman general Pompey’s army, incapacitating the soldiers and securing a major victory. This event is regarded in historical literature as the first recorded use of a biological weapon.
Use in Popular Culture
Mad honey has also appeared in modern works of art. In the 2009 film Sherlock Holmes, the character Lord Blackwood consumes mad honey to slow his pulse and feign death. During his investigation, Sherlock Holmes explains, “This honey is mad honey from Türkiye’s Black Sea region; it sedates and slows the heartbeat,” revealing the toxic effects of the substance. Additionally, in the 2023 film A Haunting in Venice, the effects of mad honey imported from Türkiye are featured as a plot element.
Mad Honey Scene from the Film Sherlock Holmes (2009) (Geçerken Kalma)
Medical and Traditional Uses
In the Eastern Black Sea Region, mad honey is traditionally used by local populations to treat ailments such as gastritis, gastric ulcers, constipation, hypertension, bronchitis, and throat infections. Some scientific studies have also suggested that it possesses antibacterial and antioxidant properties. Notably, its consumption increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, driven by the belief that it could support the immune system. However, experts emphasize that uncontrolled use may pose serious health risks.
Production Status
Mad honey is produced in limited quantities each year due to the short flowering period of rhododendrons and variable climatic and precipitation conditions. In Kastamonu and its surrounding areas, annual production amounts to only a few tons. Heavy rainfall reduces honey yield, whereas drier seasons result in increased production.
