Japanese Honeysuckle Flower

Japanese Honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica) is native to Asia. The flower buds have been used in Chinese medicine and herbal tea. The flowers have a very strong sweet-vanilla smell to them. There are many active compounds in the flowers such as luteolin, bioflavonoids, saponins, and glycosides.

Health Benefits

Japanese Honeysuckle has anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, antiviral, and antioxidant properties that are beneficial for the human body.¹ Japanese honeysuckle may protect cartilage (connective tissue) from destruction due to its anti-inflammatory effects.^2,3 Japanese Honeysuckle may have neuroprotective properties and delay the progression of kidney problems caused by diabetes.^4,5

Japanese Honeysuckle Flower

Health Benefits

References

Shang X, Pan H, Li M, Miao X, Ding H. Lonicera japonica Thunb.: ethnopharmacology, phytochemistry and pharmacology of an important traditional Chinese medicine. J Ethnopharmacol. 2011 Oct 31;138(1):1-21. doi: 10.1016/j.jep.2011.08.016. Epub 2011 Aug 16. Review. PubMed PMID: 21864666.

Kwon SH, Hong SI, Kim JA, Jung YH, Kim SY, Kim HC, Lee SY, Jang CG. The neuroprotective effects of Lonicera japonica THUNB. against hydrogen peroxide-induced apoptosis via phosphorylation of MAPKs and PI3K/Akt in SH-SY5Y cells. Food Chem Toxicol. 2011 Apr;49(4):1011-9. PubMed PMID: 21237235.

Tzeng TF, Liou SS, Chang CJ, Liu IM. The ethanol extract of Lonicera japonica (Japanese honeysuckle) attenuates diabetic nephropathy by inhibiting p-38 MAPK activity in streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats. Planta Med. 2014 Feb;80(2-3):121-9. PubMed PMID: 24431014.