Our speaker will be Ferhat Ozturk on Medicinal Use of Honey: Evidence-based Applications. Honey has been used for centuries as a natural remedy for various ailments, including the prevention and treatment of wounds, infections, diabetes, cancer, and asthma, as well as cardiovascular, neurological, and gastrointestinal diseases. Due to its nutritional value and therapeutic potential, honey has been identified as a nutraceutical product.

Not every honey is created equal! There are more than 200 components identified in honey, which is dependent on its nectar source, climate, landscape, altitude, and bee strain. Therefore, it is critical to identify the biochemical agents within the honey, such as phenolics, flavonoids, and tannins, to identify its antioxidant and antimicrobial potentials.

In this presentation, Dr. Ozturk will give a brief outline of the use of honey as a therapeutic agent for centuries, as well as provide evidence-based information about the bioactivity potential of different honeys and use of medical-grade honeys for wound healing in clinical settings. He will also provide up-to-date information from the bioactivity analysis of local TX honeys by the HONEY Pathway students.

About Ferhat Ozturk

Dr. Ozturk is the Project Director of the HONEY Pathway and Associate Professor of Instruction at the University of Texas San Antonio (UTSA). Dr. Ozturk combines his strong Ph.D. background in gene therapy, molecular and cellular biology, bioinformatics, and biochemistry research with a fervent passion for exploring the medicinal use of honey.

With a focus on the unique biological and chemical compositions of various mono-floral honey varieties from across the globe, Dr. Ozturk is unraveling honey’s therapeutic benefits. His groundbreaking research is dedicated to identifying exceptional US-based honey sources characterized by high bioactivity levels and strong medicinal properties, poised to not only compete but surpass current medical-grade honeys.

Dr. Ozturk’s contributions to the field have earned him a $2.9 million USDA-NextGen grant to establish the HONEY Pathway at UTSA. His career is dedicated to advancing the understanding of medicinal honey and beekeeping, while also nurturing the educational growth of UTSA students.

This will be the second of a two part series (Dr. Ozturk joined us via Zoom in December).

Note this event is at a different location in San Leandro compared to previous monthly meetings.