Wild Himalayan 'mad honey' linked to heart-rate emergencies as online sales grow

Bees that nest on sheer Himalayan cliffs collect nectar from rhododendron flowers, concentrating the plant's grayanotoxin in the honey they produce. Known locally as “bhir mauri ko maha,” this “mad honey” can cause a rapid drop in heart rate and blood pressure if more than a small amount is ingested. A review of published cases from 2009 to 2026 identified 68 patients, about 72% of whom were middle-aged men deliberately using the honey for blood-pressure or sexual-function purposes.

Symptoms appear within 30 to 60 minutes, and treatment typically involves intravenous fluids and atropine, with most patients recovering in one or two days. Poisonings cluster in spring, the period of peak rhododendron bloom, and have been reported beyond Nepal, including in South Korea, France and Qatar, where clinicians are less familiar with the condition.