Antibiotic, Pesticide, and Microbial Contaminants of Honey: Human Health Hazards

Table 2

Names of some plants whose nectar gives rise to toxic honey.

Rhododendron ponticum (Azalea pontica) contains alkaloids that are poisonous to humans
Andromeda flowers contain grayanotoxins which are psychoactive and toxic to humans (paralyze limbs and diaphragm and result in death)
Kalmia latifolia, the calico bush, mountain laurel, or spoon wood of the northern US, and allied species produce sickness or death
Wharangi bush, Melicopeternata, in New Zealand, produces toxic fatal honey
Datura plants in Mexico and Hungary
Belladonna flowers, henbane (Hyoscamusniger) plants in Hungary,
Serjanialethalis in Brazil
Gelsemium sempervirens in the American Southwest
Tutu (Coriariaarborea), in New Zealand, produce tutin which is a member of the picrotoxin group of poisons
Oleander in Mediterranean region