Honey is an organic natural substance that is produced from the nectar of flowers by Apis mellifera and is a sweet, flavorful liquid. It contains sugars, small quantities of proteins, enzymes, amino acids, minerals, trace elements, vitamins, aroma compounds, and polyphones. It is widely accepted as food and medicine by all generations, traditions and civilizations, both ancient and modern. Honey is heavily used by Asian countries such as Sri Lanka, India, Nepal, and Pakistan in their traditional medicinal systems. It is used as a remedy for burns, cataracts, ulcers, diabetes, wound healing, etc. Many researchers have scientifically validated most of the traditional claims (e.g., usage for diabetes, diarrhea, inflammation, gastrointestinal, and cardiovascular diseases) for honey using scientifically controlled experiments. We conclude this review by exposing the benefits and traditional usage of the honey, especially in Ayurveda medicinal system.

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Piper betle Linn. (Family: Piperaceae) is a common plant cultivated in Asian countries. The aim of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant potential and possible applications of P. betle leaves grown in Sri Lanka. This was carried out using P. betle cold ethanolic extract (CEE), hot water extract (HWE) and essential oil (EO). The initial free radical scavenging activity of CEE was higher than that of butylated hydroxyl toluene (BHT). Further, antioxidant activity of CEE, EO and HWE did not significantly deviate from the initial antioxidant activity up to 12 months. However, at elevated temperature (200°C) antioxidant activity was significantly reduced (EC 50 values of CEE, EO and BHT increased by fourfold and HWE by threefold) compared to their initial values. The reduction of antioxidant activity of CEE was lesser than that of BHT. Peroxide values (PV) were significantly lower in CEE-incorporated coconut and palm oil samples compared to that of BHT-treated samples. Moreover, CEE extended the shelf-life of potato chips and increased the stability of Aloe gel.

Aerial parts of Trichosanthes cucumerina (Family: Cucurbitaceae) are used in traditional medical systems for treatment of diabetes and other diseases. The present study was designed to experimentally evaluate the antidiabetic potential of a hot water extract (HWE) of T. cucumerina (TC) aerial parts. In normoglycemic rats, HWE mediated (a) a dose dependent reduction in fasting blood glucose (FBS) levels (by 35% at 4h post-treatment with dose of 750 mg/kg) and (b) a significant (P<0.05) improvement of glucose tolerance. In STZ-induced diabetic rats, no immediate hypoglycemic effect was observed. However, with continuous administration, there was a gradual reduction in FBS (by 56.8% on day 14 and by 64.4% on day 28). In normoglycemic rats, on day 14 and day 28, the percentage reduction in FBS levels were 41% and 44% respectively. At the end of 28 days, in both normoglycemic and STZ-induced diabetic rats, there was a significant increase in the levels of liver glycogen and adipose tissue triglyceride levels, in comparison with the respective controls that did not receive HWE. However, HWE failed to inhibit intestinal glucose uptake. It may be concluded that T.C can exert significant antidiabetic activity, possibly through multiple effects involving pancreatic and extra pancreatic mechanisms.

The volatile oil of rhizomes of Alpinia galanga (Family: Zingiberaceae) was analyzed by GC and GC/MS. Sixteen compounds accounting for 87% of the essential oil were identified. The major constituent was zerumbone (44.8%). This is the first report of zerumbone in A. galanga and the composition of A. galanga rhizome oil of Sri Lankan origin.