Honey (Including Buckwheat Honey) for Wound Healing

Research suggests that honey and honey-based formulations may support wound healing in part through the skin delivery of bioactive phenolic compounds, though the evidence base here is limited to a single 2025 laboratory study examining Polish honey varieties including buckwheat, heather, linden, and rapeseed. That study found that honey-based hydrogels delivered phenolic acids through skin tissue more effectively than pure honey or emulsion forms, and heather honey in particular showed notably high antioxidant and polyphenol content. However, the same study also noted that honey samples reduced fibroblast cell viability at higher concentrations, pointing to a potentially concentration-dependent concern that tempers straightforward optimism. Given that the available evidence consists of one in vitro and formulation-based study rather than clinical trials in human patients, broader conclusions about wound healing outcomes in real-world settings cannot yet be drawn from this data alone.