Coriander Honey Accelerates Human Osteoblast Differentiation and Matrix Mineralization via Intracellular Ca2+ Signaling

Background/Objectives: Managing bone diseases demands novel, natural compounds to bypass the heavy side effects of current therapies. Honey is well-known for its therapeutic traits, yet we know very little about how specific floral varieties impact bone tissue. This study confronts this gap by comparing how acacia, chestnut, and coriander honeys drive human osteoblast behavior in vitro. Methods: After mapping the phenolic/flavonoid profiles and antioxidant capacities of these honeys, we tested them on hFOB 1.19 human osteoblasts. We tracked cell migration via scratch assays and validated osteogenic maturation through Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP) activity and Alizarin Red (AR) mineralization over 7 days. Confocal time-lapse imaging with pharmacological inhibitors monitored intracellular calcium dynamics, while gene shifts were analyzed via qRT-PCR. Results: Coriander honey (CH) packed the highest polyphenol levels and antioxidant power. Biologically, while all honeys accelerated scratch closure, CH drove cell motility most potently. Remarkably, a 7-day treatment with these honeys sparked a significant and robust increase in ALP activity and mineralization, surpassing the osteogenic induction observed with standard osteoinductive media. Mechanistically, CH triggered a sharp [Ca2+] spike, relying on external calcium entry and IP3-dependent internal release via PLC activation. qRT-PCR confirmed this anabolic shift via OPG and OPN upregulation. Conclusions: Honey exerts pronounced multi-level osteopromotive effects at both the functional and transcriptional levels, tightly linked to its botanical source. Among the variants, coriander honey stands out for its exceptional ability to fast-track osteoblast migration, differentiation, and early mineral deposition. Therefore coriander honey represents a promising in vitro candidate that warrants further preclinical evaluation for bone repair applications.