Propolis Recommended for Dental Health

Healthy Teeth Lead to Good Health Overall
Contra Costa Times (USA), 5/30/2006

Get acquainted with propolis. Propolis is the waxy substance that bees produce to protect their hives from infection. Some brands of toothpaste, like Tom's of Maine, offer a propolis-based formulation as an alternative to traditional formulas. You can also purchase a propolis tincture in the health food store, put a few drops in water and swish away.

Study: Propolis May Be Chemotherapeutic Agent

Therapeutic Effect of Propolis and Paclitaxel on Hepatic Phase I and II Enzymes and Marker Enzymes in Dimethylbenz(A)Anthracene-Induced Breast Cancer in Female Rats
Comp Biochem Physiol C Toxicol Pharmacol, 2006 Apr 6

Propolis, a natural beehive product has been known for centuries for a variety of beneficial traditional medicinal properties. The present study was conducted to ascertain the antineoplastic potential of propolis along with paclitaxel against experimental mammary carcinogenesis…

Propolis treatment caused the activity of these enzymes return to almost normal control levels, indicating the protective effect of propolis against dimethyl benz(a) anthracene induced carcinogenesis. On the basis of the observed results propolis can be considered a promising chemotherapeutic agent and can be administered as an adjuvant with paclitaxel chemotherapy.

Stinger Releases 90 Percent of Venom Within 20 Seconds

The Claim: Bee Stings Can Be Treated by Scraping Out Stingers
By Anahad O'Connor, The New York Times, 5/30/2006

THE FACTS: For treating bee stings, many medical texts and first aid guides recommend a time-honored approach: grab a sharp object, apply it to the skin and gently scrape away the stinger.

The point is to get the stinger out without squeezing or pulling, which increases the odds of more venom entering the wound.

But there is a small problem. Multiple studies have found that when it comes to treating bee stings, it is time, not method, that makes the difference.

One study, published in The Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, demonstrated this several years ago. In it, researchers collected honeybees and provoked them into stinging disks made from filter paper and other surfaces, which they weighed at different intervals in the stinging process.

At the end of the study, the researchers pooled their results and found that on average a stinger released 90 percent of its venom within 20 seconds…

THE BOTTOM LINE: Scraping away a stinger has no advantage over grabbing or pulling it. Only speed makes a difference.

PHOTO: A doctor Yu Huaping displays dead bees used for medical treatment at a clinic in the suburbs of Hefei, central China's Anhui province May 24, 2006. Yu, the doctor of the clinic, uses bee venom, which is released into the patient's body when the bee stings, to cure diseases such as rheumatism, high blood pressure and psoriasis. REUTERS/Jianan Yu

Pakistan to Launch 'Honey Remedy For Health' Plan

'Honey Remedy For Health' Plan to be Launched Soon
Business Recorder (Pakistan), 5/29/2006

The government will launch a project of 'Honey is Remedy for Health' in next fiscal year for the uplift of bee keeping industry in Federally Administered Tribal Areas, said Fata Assistant Director Sericulture Syed Qasim Shah...

Beeswax Used in ‘Ear Candling’ for Ear, Sinus, Throat Problems

Ear Candling - A Beneficial Treatment That Can Help Improve Your Health
PRLEAP, 5/28/2006

Ear Candling is not a new alternative therapy. Today there is known evidence of people in Ancient cultures, including the Egyptians using ear candling as well as people from the Orient.

This ancient therapeutic art may have been developed with the domestication of the honeybee. Beeswax was — and still is — a key component to making the hollow cylinders used in the procedure. The principal cloth used by ancient Egyptians was linen made from flax (the fibers of an annual blue-flowered plant). The candles are hollow and approximately 8-10" long. They are hand made of 100% cotton and pure beeswax…

Though ear candling may not be the answer to all ear, sinus, or throat problems, people have used it to relieve symptoms of itching, congestion, and discomfort associated with eye, ear, nose, and throat ailments. With the long tradition of use around the world, ear candling should continue its popularity to help people in a natural and effective way...

Ear Candling Workshops in Canada

Video: Link Between Honey Consumption and Level of Antioxidants

Honey Health
UC Davis News Service

Researchers say honey could have sweet health benefits. A study found a direct link between honey consumption and the levels of antioxidants - compounds that help fight heart disease and cancer. That was the conclusion drawn by researchers from UC Davis who evaluated how daily consumption of honey affected 25 people.

Sweet as Tupelo Honey
Farmers' Almanac TV

The honey bees at the Savannah Bee Company produce a unique kind of honey called "Tupelo honey." Medicinal uses of bee products discussed.

Propolis Derivative May be Used to Treat Parkinson's Disease

Studies From France, Turkey and Germany Add New Findings to Neurology Body of Knowledge
Nursing Home & Elder Business Week, 6/4/2006

New findings from France, Turkey and Germany describe advances in neurology…

Study 3: Caffeic acid phenethyl ester blocks 6-hydroxydopamine-induced neurotoxicity.

According to a recently published study from Germany, "Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by progressive loss of dopaminergic (DA) neurons of the substantia nigra pars compacta…

"Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE), an antioxidant flavanoid, has antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory properties. Recent studies have shown that CAPE has also a neuroprotective effects in ischemia and low potassium-induced neuronal apoptotic models," the authors said…

The researchers concluded, "Since a mitochondrial insult is a major cause for the degeneration of nigral neurons in PD, we hypothesize that propolis derivatives, in particular CAPE, may have a neuroprotective effect on those cells and may be a promising drug candidate to be taken into in vivo models of PD."

Noelker and colleagues published their study in Neuroscience Letters (The flavanoide caffeic acid phenethyl ester blocks 6-hydroxydopamine-induced neurotoxicity. Neurosci Lett, 2005;383(1-2):39-43).

For more information, contact R. Dodel, University of Bonn, Dept. Neurology, Sigmund Freudstr 25, D-53105 Bonn, Germany.

Chinese Apitherapist in Action

A resident receives treatment with bee venom for rheumatism outside a clinic in the suburbs of Hefei, central China's Anhui province May 24, 2006. The doctor of the clinic Yu Huaping uses bee venom, which is released into the patient's body when the bee stings, to cure diseases such as rheumatism, high blood pressure and psoriasis. (Reuters)

Brazilian Propolis Free of Cs-137 Particles

Radionuclides in Honeybee Propolis
Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 2006 Apr;76(4):637-40

Comparison of cesium-137 (Cs-137) and natural radioactive particles (K-40, Be-7) in propolis samples from Brazil, Italy and Bulgaria. No Cs-137 particles were found in the Brazilian propolis.

New Prostate Treatment Contains Pollen Extract

New All Natural Treatment for BPH Symptoms Launched at American Urological Association Annual Meeting
PRNewswire, 5/23/06

LOS ANGELES, May 23 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Farr Laboratories, LLC announced the introduction of BP-Q, a new all natural product for the treatment of symptoms associated with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) at the annual American Urological Association meeting in Atlanta, GA…

The unique blend of natural nutritional supplements in BP-Q was developed in collaboration with leading urologists and includes specific ingredients that have been well researched over many years. In fact, this combination of clinically proven natural dietary supplements is exclusive to the BP-Q formulation and includes quercetin, Beta Sisterol and cernilton…cernilton, from a natural bee pollen extract, is also well studied and one British double-blind, placebo controlled study found that cernilton provided a significant improvement in BPH symptoms with a six-month course of treatment...

SEE: A Systematic Review of Cernilton for the Treatment of Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

US Checking Chinese Honey for Antibiotic Traces

Chinese Honey Being Checked For Antibiotics
Jim Ash, Tallahassee Democrat, 5/24/2006

State and federal officials are investigating an anonymous tip that that a batch of Chinese honey imported to Central Florida contains trace amounts of antibiotics, officials confirmed today.

"It is my understanding that this is not a safety issue, but that we are testing for it," said Liz Compton, a spokeswoman for the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

State investigators demanded samples from several distributors in the Orlando area in January, Compton said. She declined to name the distributors, but said the honey is used in commercial food processing and was not bound for retail shelves.

A spokesman for the U.S. Department of Agriculture confirmed that the agency is participating. Technicians are testing for a class of drugs called "fluoroquinolones" that beekeepers use to treat "Foulbrood disease."…

New Zealand Apitherapy Products May Face Increased Regulation

Regulator 'Threatens Natural Remedies'
Stuff, 5/24/06

A health lobby with a history of supporting the lightly-regulated dietary supplements sector says the Government's plan to hand over control of the sector to a trans-Tasman therapeutics regulator is "a terrible idea"…

The manufacturers sell products such as royal jelly and bee pollen, herbs, beneficial bacteria, and essential oils under the Dietary Supplement Regulations 1985, and rely on word of mouth and postings on the internet to spread claims that the products can "cure" illnesses or other medical conditions…

Japanese Patient Has Allergic Reaction to Royal Jelly

Food-Induced Anaphylaxis Caused by Ingestion of Royal Jelly
The Journal of Dermatology, 2006 Jun;33(6):424-6

ABSTRACT: We report a case of food-induced anaphylaxis caused by ingestion of royal jelly. After taking royal jelly and several other medicinal products, a 33-year-old Japanese male developed severe facial pruritus and erythema, followed by vertigo, numbness in his fingers, generalized pruritus, wheals, dyspnea, wheezing and impaired consciousness. He was treated with corticosteroid and fluid therapy, and his symptoms subsided.

Upon allergy testing, his only positive reaction was to royal jelly. Given the clinical symptoms and the positive prick test to royal jelly, a diagnosis of anaphylaxis due to the ingestion of royal jelly was made. In this paper, we describe this case and review the relevant published work.

Honey Has an Antifungal Effect Against Candida Species

Medical Mycology, 2006 May;44(3):289-91

The incidence of Candida infections is escalating worldwide. The serious nature of these infections is compounded by increasing levels of drug resistance. We report that certain honeys have significant antifungal activity against clinical isolates of Candida species. Importantly, the minimum inhibitory concentration of these honeys would be achievable in a clinical setting.

Ethyl Acetate Bee-Collected Pollen Extract Rich in Flavonoids

Chemical Composition and Free Radical Scavenging Activity of Pollen Loads from Stingless Bee Melipona Subnitida Ducke
Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, 5/15/06

Abstract: Bee-collected pollen (“bee pollen”) is promoted as a health food with a wide range of nutritional and therapeutic properties. In order to evaluate the chemical composition, botanical origin and free radical scavenging activity of this food, two sample pollen loads from stingless bee Melipona subnitida were studied…

The compounds naringenin, isorhamnetin, and d-mannitol were isolated from yellow pollen loads, and β-sitosterol, tricetin, selagin, and 8-methoxiherbacetin were found in brown pollen. Selagin is reported as a pollen constituent for the first time, and also d-mannitol, which was found in a substantial proportion (34.9%).

The free radical-scavenging activities of different solvent extracts of pollen were determined using a 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazine (DPPH) assay. This activity decreases in the order: ethyl acetate>ethanol>hexane extract, which suggests that the ethyl acetate extract of the pollen, rich in flavonoids, is a good scavenger of active oxygen species.

Sales Strong for Japanese Royal Jelly, Honey Supplement

Company News Feed, 5/12/2006

Noevir extends its philosophy from cosmetics to nutritional supplements, focusing on high quality, unique, safe products from natural sources. In January, Noevir launched Tibet Royal Jelly, which contains royal jelly from the Tibetan highlands and honey produced in Tibet. This is a high price point product, which has contributed significantly to health food sales…

Japanese Herbal Medicine Firm to Launch Royal Jelly Revitalizer

Tsumura to Release Chinese Herbal Medicine-Based Revitalizer
Japan’s Corporate News, 5/19/2006

Tokyo, May 19, 2006 (JCN) - Japanese leading kampo (Chinese herbal medicine) manufacturer Tsumura will launch OneTen P-alpha, its proprietary over-the-counter drug, on May 22.

The new product contains five different animal crude drugs, three different herbal crude drugs, royal jelly and four types of vitamins, and helps revitalize physical conditions...

Apitherapy Discussion Lists Available in English, Spanish, French, German

Apitherapy discussion lists are now available for those who speak English, Spanish, French, and German. To receive messages posted to any of these lists, send an e-mail request to: DrStangaciu@apitherapy.com

Note: In order to join though the German e-mail list, you will need to become an international member of the German Apitherapy Society.

Royal Jelly Prevents Osteoporosis in Rats

eCAM, 4/24/2006

These results indicate that both RJ and pRJ are almost as effective as 17b-estradiol in preventing the development of bone loss induced by ovariectomy in rats. In tissue culture models, both RJ and pRJ increased calcium contents in femoraldiaphyseal and femoral-metaphyseal tissue cultures obtained from normal male rats. However, in a mouse marrow culture model, they neither inhibited the parathyroid hormone (PTH)-induced calcium loss nor affected the formation of osteoclast-like cells induced by PTH in mouse marrow culture system. Therefore, our results suggest that both RJ and pRJ may prevent osteoporosis by enhancing intestinal calcium absorption, but not by directly antagonizing the action of PTH.

Beeswax Component Debunked as Cholesterol Treatment

Sugar Cane Cholesterol Treatment Debunked
Associated Press, 5/17/2006

CHICAGO - German research casts doubt on the effectiveness of a sugar cane-based ingredient sold as a cholesterol treatment in One-A-Day Cholesterol Plus vitamins and other products marketed in dozens of countries.

The substance, called policosanol, worked no better than dummy pills in German adults with high levels of LDL cholesterol, the kind that can clog arteries and lead to heart problems…

Most previous studies that reached the opposite conclusion were sponsored by a company founded by Cuba's National Center for Scientific Research to market policosanol, the German researchers said.

Cuban sugar cane-based policosanol is sold in more than 40 countries, mostly as a cholesterol treatment, the researchers said. Other sources for the ingredient include wheat germ, rice, bran and beeswax…

Infants Under 12 Months Should Not Be Given Honey

Paul G. Donohue, M.D., The Standard-Times (USA), 5/16/2006

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I just finished baby-sitting for my daughter when she and her family moved to a new house. One morning, I gave the baby, 10 months old, a spoonful of honey. My daughter screamed at me to never do that again because I could poison the child. What's my daughter talking about?
-- R.C.

She was screaming about botulism, one kind of food poisoning — potentially the most dangerous kind. Most botulism food poisoning happens to adults and comes from improperly home-canned foods...

Botulinum bacteria form spores, embryos encased in a hard covering. When infants eat foods with botulinum spores, the spores germinate into adult germs in the infant's digestive tract, and the adult germs begin to make their poison...

In the digestive tracts of older infants and adults, spores do not develop into mature germs. Honey is one source of botulinum spores, so infants less than 1 year old should not eat it.

This has to be put into perspective. There are very few cases of infant botulism in any given year, and only a few can be traced to honey. Honey is a healthy, tasty, wonderful food that can be eaten by all except young infants...

Ugandan Honey-Based 'AIDS Cure' Professor Defended

Prof. Elahi’s Khomeini Ned Futher Iquiry
Omar Kalinge Nnyago, The Monitor (Uganda), 5/16/2006

Mutumba who first blew the whistle on the Khomeini herbal medicines of Iranian herbal researcher Prof. Elahi Allagholi. He was concerned that the 'drug' was being sold at 'exorbitant' prices, yet there was no information on its registration in Uganda or its effectiveness...

April 25, the Director General of Health Services stopped Prof. Elahi and his establishment, Institute of Elahi International Initiatives for Development and Education" from operating in Uganda in relation to the Khomeini products.

The National Drug Authority and police raided the institute's premises and seized all the available stocks of herbs and materials. On the same day, Prof. Elahi was arrested and charged with offences related to what was termed as "drugs". He is out on bail, having deposited his passport...

he first thing to note is that the Ministerial statement was at variance with the technical report in many instances. Whether it was an oversight or a calculated omission is hard to ascertain unless further investigation is allowed. It is also important to note that the report confirmed that the Khomeini products were not 'drugs' but herbal concorctions and were not found to be dangerous to consume, as they contained largely olive oil and honey and other minerals in small quantities...

Bioactive Constituents of Brazilian Red Propolis

Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine, 5/3/2006

In a new propolis type, red Brazilian propolis, 14 compounds were identified (six of them new for propolis), among them simple phenolics, triterepenoids, isoflavonoids, prenylated benzophenones and a naphthoquinone epoxide (isolated for the first time from a natural source). Three of the major components demonstrated significant antimicrobial activity, and two (obtained as inseparable mixture) possessed radical scavenging activity against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH)…

In this study, we report our results on antibacterial and antioxidant activity of chemical constituents of red Brazilian propolis…

The identification of new propolis constituents in red Brazilian propolis, most of them having antibacterial, antimycotic and antiradical activities, is a further confirmation of the fact that propolis, independently of its plant source and chemical composition, always possesses antimicrobial and antioxidant activity.

This is due to the role that propolis plays in the hive: it is the ‘chemical weapon’ of bees against pathogen microorganisms and the elements of weather. However, in different propolis types, different chemical constituents are responsible for the valuable activities (27). The results obtained demonstrate once again that propolis remains a fascinating subject for further studies and application to CAM.

Honey ‘Wards Off Arthritis, Helps Digestion, Restores Energy, Heals Wounds’

Bee-Made Bounty Aplenty
Honey is good and good for you
By Wayne A. Hall, The Times Herald-Record (USA), 5/14/2006

Bee and beekeeper preservation are why Hughes, a spokesman for the Southeastern Beekeepers Association, volunteers at the Orange County Arboretum's two demonstration hives to educate a public "uninformed" about honey and bees.

What's not to like about honey?

Honey and health

First and maybe foremost, there's the great medical spin-off: Honey heals.

Especially local honey that's jammed with good-for-you amino acids and enzymes.

Huge honey producers - Hughes won't name names - cook their product so it stays liquid on store shelves. That kills the benefits, says Hughes.

"You might as well throw it in the gutter."

Colored golden to deep amber, local honey - the pure stuff - wards off arthritis, helps digestion, restores energy, heals wounds. And most of all, says Montgomery-based Hughes, "honey is a supercharger for the immune system." There's beeswax, royal jelly, honey soap, and raw pollen - lots of bee-made bounty. And bee sting therapy is catching on for such ailments as arthritis.

Proof?

So many people with watery eyes and dripping noses have rushed into Newburgh's Overlook Farm Market to find locally grown honey, that the shelves were empty one recent Monday, says business partner Nina Penney.

"They take honey, lemon and hot water for their allergies," she said. "Throw away the Allegra."…

Propolis Flavone Enhances Immune Response

Chinese Herbal Medicinal Ingredients Enhance Immunogenicity
Science Letter, 5/19/2006

According to a report published in the journal Vaccine, "Two compound Chinese herbal medicinal ingredients (cCls) were prepared respectively with epimedium polysaccharide (EPS) plus propolis flavone (PF) and astragalus polysaccharide (APS) plus ginsenoside (GS). Also, two compound Chinese herbal medicines (cCMs) with the same ingredient content as corresponding cCls were made with the extracts of epimedium plus propolis and astragalus plus ginseng."…

"The results showed that both cCls could significantly raise antibody titer in rabbits, which the effect of compound Chinese herbal medicinal ingredients 1 (cCls 1) was better than that of compound Chinese herbal medicinal ingredients 2 (cCls 2)," the researchers reported. "All of cCls and cCMs could markedly promote lymphocyte proliferation and enhance antibody titer in chickens, which was similar to oil adjuvant, the immunologic enhancement of cCls were slightly superior to that of the cCMs."…

For additional information, contact Yuan-liang Hu, Institute of Traditional Chinese Veterinary Medicine, College of Veterinary Medicine, Nanjing Agricultural University, Nanjing 210095, People's Republic of China. E-mail: ylhu@njau.edu.cn

Study: Up to 50 Percent of French Pollen Loads Contaminated by Pesticides

A Survey of Pesticide Residues in Pollen Loads Collected by Honey Bees in France
Journal of Economic Entomology, 2006 Apr;99(2):253-62

Residues of 19 searched compounds were found in samples. Contamination by pesticides ranged from 50 to 0%. Coumaphos and tau-fluvalinate residues were the most concentrated of all residues…

Possible origins of these contaminations, concentration and toxicity of pesticides, and the possible consequences for bees are discussed.

Beeswax Component May Help Reduce Cholesterol Levels

Valensa Goes Nano with Policosanol
By Stephen Daniels, Nutraingredients-USA, 5/10/2006

5/10/2006 - Florida-based Valensa International used the Vitefoods expo in Geneva to introduce industry to its new nanodispersed policosanol, that is said to increase its functionality when used in a range of supplements or functional foods.

Policosanols are waxy, mostly linear C20 to C34 alcohols, and can be extracted from beeswax and a range of plant sources including sugar cane, rice bran, green vegetables, wheat bran and saw palmetto.

Clinical trials from Cuba in 2001 reported that policosanols extracted from sugar cane could reduce cholesterol levels by 10 to 30 percent, but further studies have yielded mixed results. This discrepancy, said Valensa's president Dr. Rudi Moerck, could be due to a delivery issue…

Honey Skin Care Treatment

Haute Mamas
Contra Costa Times (USA), 5/9/2006

In "Awakening Beauty the Dr. Hauschka Way," Susan West Kurz writes about holistic treatments and regimens to illuminate the skin just like Mom's remedy, but these come from Dr. Hauschka's Skin Care, a line that's been around since 1967. Here are three masks…

Purifying and moisturizing Honey: Spread raw honey over clean face. Let sit for 20 to 30 minutes. Tap fingers lightly around areas of skin where pores are clogged to help dislodge blackheads. Rinse with warm water…

Japan: Health Food Firm Faces Fraud Probe

The Yomiuri Shimbun, 5/9/2006

The Metropolitan Police Department has started investigating the Tokyo-based health food company Richland, suspecting it fraudulently collected 50 billion yen from more than 10,000 individuals nationwide…

The company was found to have sold royal jelly and cosmetics for several hundred thousand yen, when the goods were actually worth about one tenth of the prices charged. The MPD suspects the company recorded part of the fund as having come from fabricated sales of these items…

Product Watch: Bee Raw Varietal Honey

By Deidre Woollard, Luxist (USA), 5/8/2006

We've seen all sorts of varietals in wine and chocolate and even olive oil, now the varietal idea comes to honey. At Bee Raw they work with artisanal beekeepers to create honey that varies in shade and flavor. The honeys offer a wide variety of tastes from the floral and aromatic orange blossom to the smoky and smooth basswood. A set of the four fruit varietals, orange blossom, raspberry, blueberry and cranberry in single ounce glass vials set in a wooden display box sells for $45.

Characteristics of Propolis in Egypt, UAE and Chile

Chemical Composition of Egyptian and UAE Propolis
Pakistan Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 2006 Jan;19(1):58-61

The chemical composition of propolis samples obtained from Behera, Egypt and Dubai, UAE, have been investigated by GC-MS and thirty four compounds have been tentatively identified. Some of these compounds have not been reported previously in Egyptian propolis from different regions. The Egyptian sample contains a high amount of aliphatic (13.7%) and aromatic (14.4%) acids. The alcohols, phenols and esters account for about 17.0% of the total content analysed. Some anthraquinone and flavone derivatives have also been detected (10%). The UAE sample is characterised by the presence of a high content of aliphatic acids (15.2%) and a low content of aromatic acids (4.3%)…

Characteristics Organoleptic and Physicochemical Propolis in the Province of Nuble, VIII Region-Chile
Archivos Latinoamericanos de Nutrición, 2005 Dec;55(4):374-9

Propolis ("bee-glue") is a gummy resinous substance elaborated by honey bees (Apis mellifera) from different types of plant resins. The chemical composition of propolis is very complex and variable as it depends on the botanical source and the environmental conditions prevailing at the location where the resin is collected by bees. The objective of this study was to determine the propolis organoleptic and physicochemical properties of different types in the Province of Nuble (VIII Region, Chile)…

Results showed that propolis extracts from coastal sites are better quality than those collected at mountain skirts, and these in turn are better than propolis obtained from the Central Valley…

Upcoming Apitherapy Events in USA and Ecuador

Charles Mraz Apitherapy Course
September 21-24, Salt Lake City, Utah (USA)

Sponsored by the American Apitherapy Society.

First Apitherapy Symposium in Ecuador
November 15-18, 2007

Contact: josecc01@uio.satnet.net

UK: Honey Bees Taught to Detect Explosives

Sniffer Bees: New Flying Squad in War Against Terror
By Martin Hodgson, The Independent (UK), 5/7/2006

Terrorists, beware the ultimate sting: a British company has developed a device to detect explosives at airports with the help of specially trained honey bees…

The prototype under trial consisted of a shoebox-sized device nicknamed the "buzz box", containing three trained bees harnessed into a removable drawer. An electric fan draws air into the box, while a video camera records the bees' response, which can alert the handler to even the faintest trace of explosives.

According to the researchers, bees are able to detect the scent of explosives at concentrations as low as two parts per trillion. "It's the equivalent of finding a grain of sand in a swimming pool," said Rachael Carson, general manager of Inscentinel, the company behind the research.

"If you give them the smell, and then reward them with a sugar solution, they quickly make the association between the smell and the food," she said…

Unlike dogs, however, bees are quick to learn, and relatively cheap to maintain. Furthermore, the insects do not need a dedicated handler and cannot be distracted from their task…

Uganda: Patients Protest Ban on Honey-Based ‘AIDS Cure’

Khomeini Clients Petition President Museveni on Ban
The New Vision (Uganda), 5/5/2006

KHOMEINI clients have petitioned president Yoweri Museveni, protesting the ban of the drug, which is said to cure AIDS, writes Madinah Tebajjukira…

The 76 petitioners requested the president to give Prof. Sheik Allahgholi Elahi, the proprietor of the Khomeini drug, an opportunity to explain how his medicine works.

They also demanded that the government subsidises the poor to access the medicine…

The government recently put a ban on the Khomeini drug after experts said the drug, which had been on sale since 2000 at sh3m, was made of honey and olive oil. Elahi, an Iranian, was arrested and charged…

Apitherapy Conference in Japan, June 16-18

First Nippon Apitherapy Society Symposium and Workshop with International Participation
Narita View Hotel, June 16-18, 2006

Official Languages: Japanese, English, Chinese

For more details, contact Dr. Hirofumi Naito.
E-Mail: apijp@mx3.nns.ne.jp and sting@mx3.nns.ne.jp

Antioxidants in Honey Comparable to Those in Fruits and Vegetables

Like Your Tea Sweet? Add Honey Instead of Sugar
PRWeb, 5/5/2006

A study published in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, shows that the level of antioxidants of honey is comparable to that of many fruits and vegetables. And while you are unlikely to devour a cup of honey in lieu of broccoli, the golden liquid may be a respectable alternative to sugar and a healthy supplement to your diet. It has been found that honey lessens the ill effects of radiation therapy in patients with cancer of the head and neck, improves oral health, preserves food, boosts antioxidants and enhances athletic performance.

Researchers at the University of Illinois studied 25 healthy men who consumed various combinations of hot water, buckwheat honey, black tea and sugar. They found that serum antioxidant capacity increased by 7 percent within two hours of ingesting 2 cups of hot water containing about 4 tablespoons of honey. Those antioxidants also help your arteries as it reduces oxidation of low-density lipoproteins (known as “bad” cholesterol), a benefit which likely thwarts development of atherosclerosis. The findings also show that many varieties are full of phenols and flavonoids – known cancer fighters even more powerful than vitamin E.

Propolis May Help Prevent Breast Cancer

Therapeutic Effect of Paclitaxel and Propolis on Lipid Peroxidation and Antioxidant System in 7,12 Dimethyl Benz(A)Anthracene-Induced Breast Cancer in Female Sprague Dawley Rats
Life Sciences, Volume 78, Issue 24 , 8 May 2006, Pages 2820-2825

Abstract: The effect of propolis along with paclitaxel on 7,12 dimethyl benz(a)anthracene (DMBA) induced experimental breast cancer was investigated in female Sprague Dawley rats…

Administration of paclitaxel and propolis effectively suppressed breast cancer, which is revealed by the decrease in the extent of lipid peroxidation (LPO) with concomitant increase in the activities of enzymic antioxidants (superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx)) and non-enzymic antioxidants (reduced glutathione (GSH), Vitamin C and Vitamin E) levels when compared to breast cancer-bearing animals treated with either paclitaxel or propolis alone.

From our results, we conclude that propolis is a potent antioxidant and, when given in combination with paclitaxel, offers maximum protection against DMBA induced mammary carcinogenesis.

Royal Jelly Component Not Found in Other Natural Products

Identification of AMP N(1)-Oxide in Royal Jelly as a Component Neurotrophic Toward Cultured Rat Pheochromocytoma PC12 Cells
Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry, 2006 Apr;70(4):897-906

An extract of royal jelly (RJ) induced processes from cultured rat pheochromocytoma PC12 cells. Active components were isolated, and identified as adenosine monophosphate (AMP) and AMP N(1)-oxide. AMP N(1)-oxide was more than 20 times as active as AMP, judging from the minimal concentration to elicit activity. AMP N(1)-oxide was thought to be responsible for about half of the process-forming activity of whole RJ…

Pharmacological experiments suggested that AMP N(1)-oxide actions are mediated by adenyl cyclase-coupled adenosine receptors, including A(2 A). Thus AMP N(1)-oxide is a key molecule that characterizes RJ, and is not found in natural products other than RJ.

Honey as a Topical Anesthetic

Enhance Your Meals, Immune System With Local Honey
The Birmingham News (USA), 5/3/2006

There is much lore written about honey, but there are two medicinal theories that I hold true from experience. One is that honey collected from bees raised closest to where you live is an immune booster. If you eat 2 or 3 teaspoons of local honey a day, your allergies to local flowering plants and trees will be reduced. Amen.

Honey has antiseptic properties, but I didn't realize it has anesthetic properties - topical, that is. I recently picked up a pot lid that had just come out of the oven (I know, not real smart!), and my sister grabbed the honey and slathered it all over the burned spot. I did not feel one bit of sting, heat or hurt, just the sticky mess on my hand. No blisters, scars, nothing…

Still Time to Register for Spanish Apitherapy Congress in Madrid

II Congreso Español de Apiterapia 2006, 19 al 21 de Mayo
Programa, Información y Reservas Congreso

Translations available at: http://www.google.com/language_tools

Tip: Honey Can Rev Up Your Immune System

Pensacola News Journal (USA), 5/2/2006

Women's Health magazine offers a wealth of health/nutrition/fitness tips each month. In its May issue, it offers immune system ideas:…

HONEY OF A CURE: A few spoonfuls of raw honey a day can rev up your immune system and keep your nose dry during allergy season.

Indian Researchers Develop Cheap ‘Electro-Shock Venom Collector’

Cheap New Process to Extract Honey Bee Venom
Daily News & Analysis (India), 5/1/2006

(Editor's Note: Also see Apitronic Services Bee Venom Collector Devices.)

Lucknow: In a breakthrough in the field of biotechnology, a group of researchers at the Zoology department of the Allahabad University (AU) have succeeded in extracting the Indian honey bee venom and collect it in powder form.

Medicinal properties of the venom powder and a price tag of Rs 5,000 per gram in the market make the process an important development.

The technique has been developed by Sandeep Kumar Mehrotra and his team of researchers. The technique is simple and economical. “'Though it is too early to say anything about commercial aspect of the research but the multinational pharmaceutical companies might be interested in it as the venom has been known for its medicinal use,” Mehrotra said.

Bee venom has many medical applications. It has a stimulating effect on the heart muscles and controls the cholesterol levels in the body. It plays an important role in the treatment of Rheumatism. It has also got antibiotic properties.

Describing the newly developed instrument as the ‘electro-shock venom collector’, the Professor said that it was a non-complicated device built for just Rs100.

The principle behind the process is that when the Honey Bee is subjected to shock, it releases venom on the surface it is placed on. Venom dries rapidly and can be scrapped off.

Beeswax Skin Cream May be Marketed Throughout US

Del. Man Hopes to Take Skin Cream Nationwide
By Maureen Milford, The News Journal (USA), 4/30/2006

Late last year, Isabella mounted a campaign to take his over-the-counter skin cream, Formula II Skin Care Cream, to the next level. Sales in the first quarter of 2006 already have surpassed all of 2005.

"I just figured I have an awesome product and I gotta get it out there," said Isabella, 44, of the cream that has found a niche in hospitals and among health care professionals for everything from treating diaper rash to dryness from radiation treatment.

The story of Formula II is filled with business lessons -- from build-a-better-mousetrap to don't-get-too-comfy. It began in the 1960s, when Isabella's father, Sam, also a pharmacist, got a customer request for a cream that first appeared on the market in 1903. When Sam Isabella discovered it had been discontinued in the 1950s, he called the product's manufacturer and got the formula.

Sam Isabella made a batch for the customer and continued to mix up some cream for family and friends. It soon became clear that the cream, made of mineral oil, distilled water, beeswax and rose oil, among other things, was unbeatable on diaper rash and other skin ailments, Isabella said...