Mad Honey from Nepal Now Sold Online, Raising Global Poisoning Risk

Wild honey harvested from the Himalayan cliff bee (Apis laboriosa) contains grayanotoxin, a plant toxin that can lower heart rate to life‑threatening levels. Gurung hunters have long used the honey for medicinal purposes, but the narrow margin between a therapeutic and a toxic dose is now a problem as the product is sold on major international e‑commerce sites. Doctors in Nepal have treated 68 documented cases since 2009, most involving middle‑aged men who consumed the honey deliberately for blood‑pressure or sexual‑health benefits. Poisonings peak in spring when rhododendron flowers bloom and toxin levels are highest. International reports from South Korea, France and Qatar confirm that consumers abroad are being exposed without adequate warnings, delaying diagnosis and treatment.