Mad Honey is known as "Deli Bal" in Turkish, "Bhir Maha" in Nepali, "Miele Pazzo" in Italian and "Miel fou" in French. It has several names such as Wild Honey, Cliff Honey, Red Honey, Grayanotoxin Honey, Rhododendron Honey and some even refer to it as the Himalayan Honey from Nepal. This honey is famous among other types of honey around the globe for several reasons starting from medicinal purposes to the psychoactive effects it brings after the ingestion. This honey contains the natural neurotoxin called Grayanotoxins which shows effects once it is inside the body. There have been stories linked for ancient times with the origins of mad honey from black sea region of Turkey written somewhere between 401 BCE by the Xenophon in the article Anabasis. Here the very first mad honey poisoning was reported where soldiers experienced severe symptoms.
The Grayanotoxin is the natural neurotoxin found in some species of Rhododendron plant and some other plants of species Ericaceae which starts showing up once inside the body. Although mad honey has been used traditionally since ages as a folk medicine it has been recently used for recreational purposes, alternative medicine and even there is a hype with people for use of this honey as an aphrodisiac. But without dosage guidelines and awareness about the side effects, there have been reported medical issues related to Mad Honey intoxication cases. We have covered basic insights on the overdose symptoms and some information so that people can reap mad honey benefits without the experience of wild honey poisoning.
What is Mad Honey?
Honey harvested from Wild Cliffs is known as Mad Honey because some people ingested a level of honey that crossed the dosage guidelines and experienced hallucinogenic and maddening effects. With the maddening effects people started a new name "Mad Honey" and the same name got popular around the world. The reason behind these maddening effects is because of the Grayanotoxins which interfere with the normal cellular actions especially in the nervous system. The effects are primarily neurological, cardiovascular and gastrointestinal.
This mad honey is consumed in some parts of the world for its stimulating, aphrodisiac and hallucinogenic properties, usually in quantities below the dose that would result in side effects. However, with its unstable properties, a higher consumption rate may lead to serious health complications with overdose and in extreme cases death.
What are the Symptoms of Mad Honey Intoxication?
Symptoms of Grayanotoxin poisoning vary depending on the amount of mad honey consumed and individual susceptibility. Symptoms usually begin within a period of 30 minutes to 2 hours following ingestion. Symptoms and signs of Mad Honey overdose may range from mild to severe and conditions of life-threatening.
1. Neurological Symptoms
- Dizziness and Lightheadedness: This is the most common early symptom in people who have taken an overdose of mad honey. An individual feels confused and may act and feel like he is going to fall or faint.
- Nausea and Vomiting: While it is actually a result of the irritation that takes place inside the gastrointestinal tract due to grayanotoxins, the action brought about by the Central Nervous System may contribute more to the development of symptoms involving nausea and vomiting.
- Confusion and Hallucinations: Larger doses of these grayanotoxins take action on the brain, hence leading to confusion, disturbed perception and hallucinations.
- Seizures: This may further result in severe cases when excess intake of the honey with mad honey can produce seizures by disrupting normal neural activity of the brain.
2. Cardiovascular Symptoms
- Low Blood Pressure: The grayanotoxins have been known to dilate blood vessels and cause hypotension. These include symptoms such as dizziness, fainting and even shock.
- Bradycardia: One of the dangerous cardiovascular effects of mad honey poisoning is a very low heart rate. This can further deteriorate into cardiac arrhythmia or even cardiac arrest in extreme conditions.
- Chest Pain: Chest pain/discomfort might also be experienced by some individuals due to its effects on the heart and blood vessels.
- Difficulty Breathing : Some people may experience difficulty breathing as the panic attacks may cause the heart to beat faster than normal, making breathing difficult.
3. Gastrointestinal Symptoms
- Abdominal Pain and Cramping: The irritation to the digestive system from grayanotoxins gives the majority symptoms of abdominal discomfort, pain and cramping.
- Diarrhea: Diarrhea is also one symptom of mad honey poisoning quite often accompanied by dehydration and loss of electrolytes.
- Excessive Salivation: It acts on the autonomic nervous system and thus very often causes excessive salivation or dribbling.
4. Respiratory Symptoms
- Labored Breathing: The victim will experience labored or shallow breathing in more serious cases of poisoning.
- Pulmonary Edema: Although this is rare in mad honey intoxication, it involves the accumulation of water in the lungs. Breathing will be very difficult for an individual and can further cause respiratory failure.
5. Other Symptoms
- Sweating and Flushed Skin: There is increased sweating, the skin can be red and flushed due to the body's attempts at cooling itself from the results of the toxin.
- Weakness and Fatigue: Symptoms include tiredness, weakness due to neurologic, cardiovascular and gastrointestinal effects. Sometimes it makes patients unable to stand or walk.
How much mad honey can overdose a person?
There is no specific guideline on how to overdose a person with mad honey. But the Grayanotoxin present in Mad Honey should be taken with caution and the dosage guidelines should be taken with precaution. The amount of mad honey should be taken at optimum to prevent Grayanotoxin poisoning. So, if you are concerned about how much mad honey to take so you won't experience the toxic effects, one teaspoon of mad honey is recommended for beginners. For adults the amount of honey consumed can be increased gradually with time and based on their tolerance level.
Basically 2-3 teaspoons of non-processed Mad Honey is enough to overdose a healthy adult but it can differ with person and their metabolism. Because honey intoxication has been reported in children, children below 1 years of age are not recommended to consume mad honey.
How long does the high from mad honey last?
The mad honey side effects can last about 3 hours to a day depending upon the dosage and individual tolerance. The effects can start showing up after about half an hour of consumption and can worsen over time. Thus, always consult healthcare providers and buy from authentic mad honey sellers before consumption.
Treatment and Management of Mad Honey Poisoning
Suspected overdose with mad honey should seek immediate medical attention. Due to the toxicity caused by grayanotoxin, there is no specific antidote for Grayanotoxin poisoning by mad honey but there are some procedures to alter and minimize the effects.
- Activated Charcoal: Ingestion of activated charcoal, if presenting within an hour of ingesting mad honey, can absorb the remaining toxins of Grayanotoxins.
- Intravenous Fluids: Very often, intravenous fluids are given to avoid dehydration and maintenance of blood pressure in conditions presenting with hypotension and diarrhoea.
- Cardiac Monitoring and Medication: Many times, due to the possibility of bradycardia or hypotension, patients may be admitted to a hospital in order to monitor the heart rate and blood pressure. Also, medications such as atropine may be dispensed to cancel out the symptoms of bradycardia.
- Seizure Control: Anticonvulsant medications may be given in cases of seizures for the prevention of further neurological damage.
- Respiratory Support: This may involve oxygen therapy or mechanical ventilation for cases in which the patient is experiencing difficulty breathing. In extreme cases, mechanical ventilation is essential.
- Monitoring of Symptoms: Continuous monitoring is quite important, as the action of grayanotoxins may extend beyond a few hours. Most patients will survive with timely intervention, although prolonged exposure might call for extended care.
Conclusion
Mad honey is a very unique substance that has been in existence for centuries in different cultural groups. While it has some potential therapeutic effects and is used in some folk medicinal forms, its toxic potential cannot be belittled. Identification of symptoms from mad honey overdose and if necessary seeking medical attention is very important. Proper guidelines with responsible consumption could avoid adverse health outcomes and even worse effects. What is important in the case of mad honey is awareness of the risks associated with its consumption, either as a stimulant or as a natural medicine. Always contact authentic mad honey seller before purchasing or trying Mad Honey from Nepal or Turkey.
