The Potential Error on the Quercus pyrenaica Honeydew Honey Identifications

Dear Editor,

This letter is based on a critical review of the article on Quercus pyrenaica honeydew honey effects on gastric adenocarcinoma cells published in this journal. ¹ We found some critical issues that would hinder the correct evaluation of the results obtained in the relevant study. The error we noticed is related to the distribution site of the plant species “Quercus pyrenaica” reported in the study. ¹ Quercus pyrenaica mentioned in the study does not exist either in Mount Ida or within the borders of Turkey, as stated in the study. Therefore, the results obtained in the study may belong to another Quercus species.

Quercus pyrenaica is a tree native to southwest Europe and northwest Africa, and is more abundant in northern Portugal and northern and northwestern Spain. ² According to the literature, Q. pyrenaica is not distributed in Turkey. ³ It is known that a total 24 species of Quercus are distributed in the Turkey, and 11 of them are known to be distributed in the Mount Ida region. ³ Therefore, these features cannot be attributed to Q. pyrenaica. The conclusion of that honey obtained from Q. pyrenaica has more cytotoxic, genotoxic, and apoptotic effects than multifloral honey from the Çanakkale region, which is highlighted as a result of the study, is theoretically incorrect.

This incorrect species naming does appear to be likely to lead to greater scientific errors because from the day it was published until January 2022, this publication has received 9 citations. Therefore, other researchers published their own studies with the wrong impression that Q. pyrenaica has cytotoxic, genotoxic, and apoptotic properties. However, it belongs to the honey obtained from another Quercus species or a mixture of species showing these characteristics. In addition, with the opinion that there is a study conducted with Q. pyrenaica honey, studies related to this species are indirectly prevented.

Relying on the names of species provided by the manufacturers of products may lead to errors in the scientific literature. Attributing the laboratory results to a species that does not occur in this region may cause more problems in future research. Therefore, we believe that this information should be corrected if not otherwise explained.