الفهرس 
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Abstract
Since acute diarrhea is mostly an acute inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract that may be caused by a variety of microbes, and since honey has antimicrobial, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, probiotic and gastroprotective properties, our study aimed at evaluation of the effects of honey when added to the ORS and water in the treatment of acute diarrhea of bacterial and non bacterial etiology in infants.
During this clinical trial, 90 infants (from 6m to 24m) with acute diarrhea were admitted to the pediatric department of Bani-suef University and Bani-suef public hospital and were randomly classified to 3 treatment groups, each consisted of 30 patients:
group (I) received common current measures such as ORS, zinc and probiotics, group (II) received ORS added to honey plus the common current measures and group (III) received ORS added to water plus the common current measures.
Cases with severe dehydration or/and intractable persistent vomiting, Shock and inability to tolerate oral fluids were excluded from the study.
Cases were subjected to thorough clinical examination, history taking and close follow up. Cultures and routine stool examination were made to differentite those of bacterial etiology from those of non bacterial. Clinical criteria of each type were observed and recorded to augment and support laboratory findings
Before starting treatment; there was no statistically significant difference between patients of 3 groups groups as regards the age, the gender distribution, the weight, the frequency and duration of vomiting and diarrhea and the severity of dehydration. Also the results of stool examination including microscopic examination and culture did not differ significantly between the 3 groups.
After treatment; the frequency of vomiting and diarrhea, the recurrence of diarrhea within 2 weeks and the recovery time (defined as the number of hours from initiation of treatment to when normal soft stools will be passed, with the patient showing normal hydration and satisfactory weight gain) were significantly reduced in honey groups (II and III).
The rapid recovery achieved in patients of groups (II) and (III) may be due to the medicineal properties which Allah put in honey and mentioned before.
Honey added to ORS and water was more palatable and tolerable than ORS alone and decreases the need for IV fluids and significantly reduced frequency and duration of sever vomiting especially. Honey added to water achieved results better than that of honey added to ORS.
Infants of groups (II) and (III) were free from botulism as proven by clinical follow up of babies within 4 weeks after treatment with honey.