Global online market spreads deadly Himalayan mad honey
Mad honey produced by the Himalayan cliff bee Apis laboriosa contains grayanotoxin, a toxin that can slow the heart and drop blood pressure; as wild honey is sold on major online platforms worldwide with little safety guidance, poisonings are increasingly seen beyond Nepal (France, Qatar, South Korea). Doctors treat with intravenous fluids and atropine, and most patients recover within a day or two. Researchers aim to map who is getting poisoned, measure toxin levels across districts and seasons, understand how the bees tolerate the toxin, and address conservation concerns for the cliff bee amid overharvesting and climate change.