Study: Propolis Component May Enhance Leukemia Treatment

New Leukemia Therapy Research Reported
Medicine & Law Weekly, 11/3/2006

Investigators publish new data in the report "Enhancement of caffeic acid phenethyl ester on all-trans retinoic acid-induced differentiation in human leukemia HL-60 cells. All-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) induces complete remission in a high proportion of patients with acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL); however, the response is sometimes very slow. Furthermore, relapse and resistance to treatment often occur despite continued treatment with ATRA," researchers in Taichung, Taiwan report.

"Thereafter, combination treatment strategies have been suggested to circumvent these problems. The present study demonstrates that caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE), a major component of honeybee propolis, enhanced ATRA-induced granulocytic differentiation in HL-60, a human promyelocytic cell line…

In addition, CAPE enhanced ATRA-induced cell cycle arrest at the G1 phase by decreasing the association of cdk2-cyclin E complex. Finally, it was demonstrated that CAPE promoted the ATRA-mediated nuclear transcription activation of RARalpha assessed by EMSA assay and enhanced the expression of target genes including RARalpha, C/EBPepsilon, and p21 protein resulting in the differentiation development of leukemia," wrote H.C. Kuo and colleagues, Chung-Shan Medical University, Institute of Biochemistry and Biotechnology.

The researchers concluded: "It is suggested that CAPE possesses the potential to enhance the efficiency of ATRA in the differentiation therapy of APL."

Kuo and colleagues published their study in Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology (Enhancement of caffeic acid phenethyl ester on all-trans retinoic acid-induced differentiation in human leukemia HL-60 cells. Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology, 2006;216(1):80-8).

Couple Brings Oranic Manuka Honey to Canada

Honey's Healing Powers
Karen Gram, Vancouver Sun (Canada), 10/30/2006

Catherine and Sebastian Martin are brainstorming. They need a good name for their newest product.

The Chemainus-based husband and wife team are the only Canadian distributors of organic manuka honey, a honey rich in antibacterial properties that has been shown to heal infections, prevent the spread of the super-bug MRSA in hospitals, heal ulcers and even fight gingivitis…

Manuka honey is almost unknown in North America, but it was a common ancient remedy that was rediscovered in the 1990s. It has become a well-known household remedy in England, France, Japan, Australia and New Zealand -- people slurp a teaspoon whenever they feel a sore throat coming on. They spread it on their kids' scraped knees. They eat it to control ulcers by preventing the build up of H-pylori in their guts. They use it for acid reflux. It's also touted for healing leg ulcers on people with diabetes.

Medical researchers are showing an interest in the honey's antiseptic properties because of the prevalence of antibiotic-resistant super bugs. Researchers have found some honeys, especially manuka honey, effectively prevent the growth of MRSA, a nasty super bug that has invaded hospitals throughout the West…

For more information about manuka honey, go to www.manukacanada.com To contact the Martins, visit http://www.wedderspoon.ca

Honey and Cardamom Recommended for Nausea

Cardamom and Lemon Juice Help Cure Nausea
Asian News International (India), 10/28/2006

Nausea makes not only the affected but also others around disgusted. To overcome the sickness several handy home remedies can be administered for instant relief.

Well ground powder of half a gram to one gram of fried seeds of cardamoms (illachi) with honey is effective in curing vomiting tendency...

Bee Venom May Help Rheumatoid Arthritis

Effects of Bee Venom on Protease Activities and Free Radical Damages in Synovial Fluid From Type II Collagen-Induced Rheumatoid Arthritis Rats
Toxicology In Vitro, 2006 Dec;20(8):1465-71

The effect of bee venom acupunture (BVA) (api-toxin) on the development of type II collagen (CII)-induced arthritis (CIA) in rats has been studied…

It was concluded that activation of proteolytic enzymes and free radicals are likely to be of equal potential importance as protein damaging agents in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and the development of novel therapeutic strategies for the latter disorder should include both protease inhibitory and free radical scavenging elements. In addition, the protease inhibitory element should be designed to inhibit the action of a broad range of enzymatic mechanistic types (cysteine, serine, metallo proteinases and peptidases). In conclusion, BVA is considered to be an effective RA modulator, inhibiting protease activities and removing ROS.

Malaysian Hospital Treats Diabetic Ulcers with Honey

Honey for Diabetic Ulcers Being Treated at USM Hospital
Sulaiman Jaafar, New Straits Times (Malaysia), 10/27/2006

Diabetics and honey may seem an unlikely combination. But the sweet liquid from bees is working wonders on wounds caused by the disease that are being treated at the Universiti Sains Malaysia Hospital in Kubang Kerian.

The best results have been seen on those suffering from ulcers of the foot.

USM orthopaedic department head, Dr Mohd Iskandar Mohd Amin, said the anti-septic properties of honey make it a potent salve.

“We found honey to be just as effective as modern anti-septic treatment. It was also less painful for patients and wounds appeared to heal faster," he said.

A clinical trial in 2002 showed that honey worked as well as modern dressing, was cheaper and caused less pain when dressing were changed.

“There was also less smell from the wound and no allergic reaction,’ he added.

HUSM has treated more 1,000 diabetics with honey since 1996…

Diabetics wounds are washed with saline, smeared with a thick coat of honey and wrapped with gauze. The dressing is changed every three days.

"We used to apply local honey but patients complained of discomfort, probably because local honey is impure. This was solved by using imported honey available at supermarkets," he said…

Latvia Bans Russian Honey

Siberian News, 10/25/2006

Russian honey is seized from sale in Latvia. Remains of substances were detected in honey made in Russia and the Ukraine. Sale of polluted honey was stopped; the honey consignment was seized.

Latvian State Food and Veterinary Service urged consumers to pay attention to the label and not to buy flower honey made in Russia of consignment No. M095, buckwheat honey of consignment No. 010106 and various sorts of Ukrainian honey No. L517, Latvian press reports.

Latvian experts note that remains of medicines usually get into honey when bees are treated in the wrong way…

Honey Bee Genome Mapped

Mapping of Genome Brings Swarm of Interest in Honeybees
By Reuters, 10/26/2006

LONDON -- Scientists have unraveled the genetic code of the honeybee, uncovering clues about its complex social behavior, heightened sense of smell, and African origins…

Royal Jelly Stimulates Bone Formation

Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry, 2006 Oct;70(10):2508-14

Royal jelly (RJ) has diverse physiological and pharmacological functions…Oral administration of RJ to normal female mice for 9 weeks increased the ash content of their tibiae. DNA microarray analysis revealed significant changes in gene expression related to extracellular matrix formation when the femurs of mice fed RJ were analyzed…

These data suggest that RJ as a whole or some of its individual components stimulates production of type I collagen and other activities for bone formation through action on osteoblasts.

APIMEDICA Presentation: The Antioxidant Properties of a New Non-Alcoholic Water-Soluble Propolis (WEEP)

APIMEDICA 2006, October 14, 2006, Athens, Greece
Presenter: Sung-Kee Jo, Ill-Yun Jeong, Uhee Jung, Radiation Biotechnology Team,
Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute (KAERI), Daejeon, KOREA; Seoul Propolis Co.

Summary Points:

* The Processing of WEEP

1st Step:

Ethanol-extracted propolis (EEP) - extracted with 80% ethanol from raw propolis material.

2nd Step:

Non-alcoholic water-soluble propolis (WEEP) - produced from EEP by pH adjustment

* Conclusions:

1. Non-alcoholic water-soluble propolis (WEEP) was prepared by pH adjustment processing of EEP.
2. WEEP showed hydroxyl radical scavenging activity.
3. Although WEEP itself showed lower DPPH radical scavenging activity compared with EEP, reduction of WEEP with HCl mostly recovered the activity (to 74% of EEP).
4. WEEP showed comparable or similar in vivo antioxidant activities to EEP in mice, such as reduction of lipid peroxidation in CCl4-treated mice enhancement of survival and regeneration of bone-marrow stem cells (hematopoietic cells) in irradiated mice reduction of oxidative DNA damage in irradiated mice.
5. WEEP showed some trends to reduce the exercise-induced oxidative stress in a clinical study.

APIMEDICA Presentation: Bee Products in Ophthalmology in Lithuania

APIMEDICA 2006, October 15, 2006, Athens, Greece
Presenter: Jurate Jankauskiene, Sigitas Vasiliauskas, Dalia Jankauskaite
Kaunas Medical University, Company “Medicata Filia”

Summary Points:

* Bee products (honey, propolis, bee pollen, royal jelly) are widely used in ophthalmology today in Lithuania.

* Bee pollen is used in patients with retinal atherosclerosis, ischemic changes of the retina and optic nerve, myopia, age-related macular degeneration, retinal degenerations.

Pollen tablets (Adults (2-4 tablets per day). Children (1-3 tablets per day).
Pollen tablets with bee bread and vitamin C (Pollens – 68.7%, Bee bread – 30%, Vitamin C – 1.3 %)
Pollen tablets with propolis and vitamin C (Pollens – 94.7%, Propolis – 4%. Vitamin C - 1.3 %)
Pollen tablets with vitamin C (Pollens – 98.7%, Vitamin C – 1.3%)

* Royal jelly is used in patients with ischemic changes of the retina and optic nerve, atrophy of optic nerve, angiosclerosis of the retinae, myopia, age-related macular degeneration, other retinal degenerations.

Royal Jelly Tablets (royal jelly, glucose)

“Viziovitalis” (Royal jelly 30 mg, blue berry 215 mg, beta-carotene 0.75 mg, vit. C 9 mg, Vit.E 2.25 mg)

* We have found a positive effect of 20 percent honey eye drops on the state of the cornea, best results were observed when the treatment was started early while there were no corneal damages.

* In patients with wounds infected with antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria, not responding to antibiotic therapy, good results have been achieved after application of honey.

* Honey may be used as a traditional therapy for dry cornea to prevent corneal complications and antiinflammatory action, which reduces the swelling.

* According to the results of investigation, honey drops have very good anti-inflammatory action, regenerative and anti-toxic features and we recommend use them to treat such eye disorders as, dry eye syndrome keratopathy, keratitis, corneal ulcers, corneal opacities, conjunctivitis.

* In patients with Graves’ ophthalmopathy who used Royal jelly an improvement of visual functions and reduction of retinal blind spot (p<0.05) was noted.

* An improvement of visual functions (visual acuity, contrast sensitivity) and dilatation of retinal arteries was noted in patients with myopia who used "Viziovitalis".

* In patients with age-related macula degeneration who used "Viziovitalis," there was an improvement of visual functions (visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, mean threshold sensitivity of central visual field).

* Royal jelly and "Viziovitalis" can be recommended together with other methods of conservative treatment of myopia and age-related macula degeneration.

APIMEDICA Presentation: Bee Products in Ophthalmology in Lithuania

APIMEDICA 2006, October 15, 2006, Athens, Greece
Presenter: Jurate Jankauskiene, Sigitas Vasiliauskas, Dalia Jankauskaite

* In patients with age-related macula degeneration who used "Viziovitalis," there was an improvement of visual functions (visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, mean threshold sensitivity of central visual field).
Royal jelly and "Viziovitalis" can be recommended together with other methods of conservative treatment of myopia and age-related macula degeneration.

APIMEDICA Presentation: Products of the Beehive: A True Pharmacological Arsenal in the Primary Rural Attention of Health

APIMEDICA 2006, October 12-16, 2006, Athens, Greece
Presenter: Liena Hernández

Summary Points:

* Advantages of Use the Apitherapy in the Rural Community:

1. Use of the resources characteristic of the rural community
2. To have natural, cheap and effective resources for medical care
3. To avoid complications with the early treatment of illnesses
4. To aid conservation of the different species of honey plants of the region

* Survey of the Therapeutic Value of Three Apitherapy Formulations in Primary Rural Health

Methods and Materials:

1. Population of community "Las Terrazas" (927 habitants in the mountainous region of Pinar del Río, Cuba)
2. Duration of the study: One year
3. Cycles of treatments: 7, 14 or 21 days4. Studied formulations: Broncho-Pulmonary Arohoney, General Arohoney, Propohoney

* Composition of Formulations:

Broncho-Pulmonary Arohoney (hay fever, pharyngitis, rhinopharyngitis, common cold + bacterial infection, acute bronchitis, chronic bronchitis, sinusitis, otitis, crisis of bronchial asthma)

In 15 grams of the product:

Eucalyptus radiata (0.4 grams)
Eucalyptus globulus (0.2 grams)
Rosmarin 1.8 to cineol (0.2 grams)
Ravensara aromatic (0.2 grams)
Honey (14 grams)

General Arohoney (gingivitis, vaginal infections, chronic vulvo vaginitis, urinary infections, lynphangitis)

In 15 grams of the product:

Melaleuca alternifolia (0.4 grams)
Ravensara aromatica (0.2 grams)
Thymus vulagris (0.2 grams)
Ocimum basilicum basilicum (0.2 grams)
Honey (14 grams)

Propohoney (Injuries, Burns)

Soft extract of propolis (0.5 grams)
Honey (100 grams)

* Administration:

The arohoneys were administered for by mouth, swallowing slowly to guarantee the absorption of the product through the sublingual vascularisation.

Propohoney was applied to the injury or burn once a day and covered with sterile gauze during the first week.

* Contraindications:

1. Avoid treatment of children younger than three years and in patients that present an allergy to the propolis or one of the essential oils mentioned in the compositions.

2. Avoid the contact of the products with the eyes.

3. Interrupt treatment immediately if there is an allergic reaction.

* Conclusions:

1. In the 21 pathologies treated, more than 70 percent of patients saw an improvement in the first 14 days of treatment.

2. An average of 87.8 percent of cases were healed, 4.8 percent improved, and only 4 percent saw no improvement.

3. Nauseas was the only unexpected adverse reaction in direct relationship to the arohoney treatment. It was present in 35 percent of the cases.

4. The proposed treatments are safe and they represent an effective alternative for those communities where the access to the conventional medications is poor.

Apitherapy Conference in China

The 8th International Conference of the International Apitherapy Health Care & Bee Products Association (IAHBA)
Science Museum of Yunnan University, China
November 5-6, 2006

APIMEDICA Presentation: Honey and Helicobacter Pylori

APIMEDICA 2006, October 13, 2006, Athens, Greece
Presenter: Professor Bernard Descottes, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Limoges, France

Summary Points:

* Studies have shown honey to have significant inhibitory activity against a number of bacterial agents such as Streptococcus, Bacteroides, Staphylococcus, and Enterobacter.
* Antibacterial substances in or produced by honey include hydrogen peroxide and flavonoides.
* Honey varieties higher in hydrogen peroxide content are more effective in killing Helicobacter pylori as compared to honey varieties with lower levels of hydrogen peroxide.
* Thyme honey, with its low pH and high osmolarity, is most effective in eliminating in vitro Helicobacter pylori.
* Ulcers can be treated at a low cost by thyme honey, but it is difficult to maintain a high concentration of honey at the gastric mucosa for extended periods.

Honey is a Potent Healer

Oh, Sweet Honey
The Star (Malaysia), 10/14/2006

Honey’s rich nutrient, enzyme and antioxidant content combined with its ability to thwart infections makes it a potent healer…

Honey is composed primarily of carbohydrates and water, and also contains small amounts of a wide array of vitamins and minerals, including niacin, riboflavin, pantothenic acid, calcium, copper, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium and zinc, as revealed in today’s research on honey.

Honey is also a rich source of enzymes, antioxidants and other phytonutrients. Honey contains a variety of flavonoids and phenolic acids, which act as antioxidants, scavenging and eliminating free radicals1. These antioxidant substances found in honey have been shown to be responsible for the antimicrobial and wound-healing properties of honey2.

Other phytonutrients found in honey, including caffeic acid, methyl caffeate, phenylethyl caffeate and phenylethyl dimethylcaffeate, have been shown to possess cancer-preventing and anti-tumour properties.

The wound-healing properties of honey may be its most promising medicinal quality...

APIMEDICA Presentation: Honey for Health

APIMEDICA 2006, October 13, 2006, Athens, Greece
Presenter: Swiss Bee Research Centre, Liebefeld - Berne, Switzerland

Summary Points:

* Glucose oxidase in honey produces the antibacterial agent hydrogen peroxide.
* The antimicrobial activity of honey is added partly by the bees but depends also on the botanical origin of honey.
* The high sugar concentration and low pH of honey inhibit bacterial growth.
* Honey inhibits the growth of Helicobacter pylori, the bacteria that causes dyspepsia and peptic ulcers.
* Honey can treat bacterial gastroenteritis (diarrhea) in infants.
* Honey was used successfully in the treatment of colitis (inflammation of the large intestine) in rats.
* Honey enhances the growth of Bifidus and Lactobacilus bactería present in the gastrointestinal tract to enable optimal digestion.
* Honey has been found to contain significant anti-oxidant activity. This activity is mainly due to honey polyphenols.
* Honey causes an anti-mutagen effect in a cell test or an anti-tumor effect in animal experiments.
* Honey ingestion stimulates antibody production during primary and secondary immune responses against thymus-dependent and thymus-independent antigens.
* Honey significantly reduced the cardiovascular disease factors of cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol LDL-C, and TG and elevated high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C).
* Honey enhances Ca absorption in rats. Effect is due to fructose, glucose and raffinose.
* Honey significantly reduces the plasma concentration of substances linked with inflammation like thromboxane B(2) PGE(2) and PGF(2-alpha).
* Honey has a supportive effect on patients who have undergone cancer radiation therapy, decreasing radiation mucositis.
* Honey inhibits the growth of bacteria and fungi of the oral cavity.

Bee Venom Therapy in Russia

Pravda (Russia), 10/12/2006

Bee venom is a complex mix (50 different components) of a variety of peptides and proteins, not to mention phosphor, calcium, magnesium, copper, formic and hydrochloric acids, fats and amino acids, glucose and fructose, acytilcholine and histamine.

In terms of therapy, the most abundant component of bee venom is melittin, which has a powerful anti-inflammatory action. Adolapine is a more powerful analgesic than a combination of opium and aspirin. Apamine has an invigorating effect on the nervous system, and cardiopeptide acts as a stabilizer for the cardiovascular system.

Bee venom is often administered to those who suffer from arthritis and rheumatic pains. You had enough of that back pain or osteochondritis? Put a bee on the problem part. Bee venom is also claimed to be of use in upset stomach, neuralgias, sciatica, asthma, hypertension, atherosclerosis, and migraine.

Bee venom is used for treating the most precious organ of a male body i.e. a prostate gland. Female patients use it for “stinging” uncomplicated cases of varicose veins and swollen joints…

APIMEDICA Presentation: Treating Wounds with Honey

APIMEDICA 2006, October 13, 2006, Athens, Greece
Presenter: Professor Peter Molan, University of Waikato, Honey Research Unit

Summary Points:

* Smith papyrus 2,600 – 2,200 BC: Grease-honey-lint compound used as wound dressing
* Dioscorides (c.50 AD) wrote: “Honey is good for all rotten and hollow ulcers.”
* Aristotle (350 BC) wrote of using honey to treat wounds.
* Honey as a wound treatment is being “rediscovered” as antibiotic-resistant strains of bacteria increase.
* 58 isolates of staphylococcus aureus from infected wounds were tested against representative honeys. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC): 2%-3% (v/v) for Manuka honey, 3%-4% (v/v) for pasture honey
* MIC values for clinical isolates for Medihoney:
20 strains MRSA 4%
28 strains nMRSA 4%
20 strains VRE 6-8%
30 strains Ps. aeruginosa 6-8%
11 strains Acinetobacter 6-8%
28 strains ESBL 6-8%
* Actions of honey besides antibacterial:
1. Creates a safe moist healing environment
2. Powerful anti-inflammatory action – soothes, aids healing, reduces exudate, stops scarring
3. Cleans wounds rapidly with no need for surgical debridement
4. Rapidly deodorises wounds
5. Does not stick to wound bed
6. Stimulates granulation & epithelialisation
* Positive findings on honey in wound care have been reported in:
1. 17 randomized controlled trials with 1,965 participants
2. 5 other clinical trials with 97 participants treated with honey 311 case studies
3. 16 trials on a total of 533 wounds on experimental animals
* Honey heals well only if it is kept on the wound.
* Honey, if held in place, is achieving better results than any modern pharmaceutical wound-care products can achieve.

Honey-Based Wound Treatment Products:

Advancis
HoneySoft
L-Mesitran Hydro
Apinate
MediHoney

APIMEDICA Presentation: Therapeutic Uses of Honey

APIMEDICA 2006, October 13, 2006, Athens, Greece
Presenter: Professor Peter Molan, University of Waikato, Honey Research Unit

Summary Points:

* Honey has a very broad spectrum antimicrobial activity.
* It is effective against most species even when diluted 10-fold or more.
* Glucose and oxygen, in the presence of glucose oxidase, produces gluconic acid and hydrogen peroxide.
* There can also be non-peroxide activity of certain honeys.
* Manuka (Leptospermum) honey is unique in its non-peroxide antibacterial activity.
* Catalase present in wound fluid and cells of wound tissues can affect hydrogen peroxide activity.
* Anti-inflammatory effect of honey: visibly reduces wound inflammation, reduces edema, exudation and pain
* Inhalation of honey solution (60 percent w/v) for 10 minutes resulted in an increase of 11–16 percent in peak expiratory flow rate.
* Patients undergoing radiotherapy for otorhinolaryngological tumors were given honey to hold in their mouths immediately before treatment. This resulted in only slight stomatitis, the protection of mucous membranes, reduced pain and no secondary infections.
* Placebo-controlled trial of honey for treatment of gastric ulcers and dyspepsia resulted in a 66 percent cure rate.
* Honey used instead of glucose in oral rehydration fluid (containing electrolytes) for infantile gastroenteritis shortened bacterial diarrhea and did not lengthen non-bacterial diarrhea.
* Honey used on 102 patients with various ophthalmological disorders (e.g. keratitis, conjunctivitis, blepharitis) not responding to conventional treatment resulted in improvement in 85 percent of the cases.
* Manuka honey rapidly clears acne.
* Topical honey application of honey gave 30–40 percent better results than did acyclovir (Zovirax) for the treatment of recurrent herpes simplex lesions.
* Honey has been found to suppress the growth of tumor cells implanted in laboratory animals.* A spray of Manuka honey + water (1:1) is good for clearing nasal infections.

Propolis ‘One of Nature's Great Protectors’

Sunday Supplement
The Scotsman (Scotland), 10/14/2006

One of nature's great protectors, propolis is a natural antibiotic, an anti-inflammatory and analgesic. Used by the Soviet Union to treat battle wounds and fever during the Second World War, it is the brown, sticky substance that bees use to build ramparts to defend their hive's entrance. It also forms an antiseptic barrier from bacterial or viral attack. The entire inside of the hive is coated with propolis, creating one of nature's most sterile environments.

Just as it creates a hive's auto-immune system, propolis is similarly believed to strengthen the human immune system by encouraging the thymus gland to produce extra white blood cells. Known as nature's penicillin, propolis is a natural antibiotic without side-effects, and it has also been known to fight bacterial strains that have become resistant to synthetic antibiotics…

• Gill Hames is at Neal's Yard Remedies, 102 Hanover Street, Edinburgh (0131 226 3223, www.nealsyardremedies.com)

Apitherapy News to Feature Summaries of APIMEDICA 2006 Presentations

Watch Apitherapy News for summaries of presentations offered at APIMEDICA 2006, the 1st International Forum on Apitherapy currently being held in Athens, Greece.

Bee-Collected Pollen Improves Athletic Horses' Feed Intake

Pilot Study Shows Bee Pollen Product Increases Appetite
By Stephanie L. Church, The Horse, October 2006

Keeping weight on a horse that's in intense training can be difficult; his appetite can fall off just as soon as you think he's reaching his athletic peak. Researchers at Michigan State University (MSU) have reported in a pilot study that a bee pollen-based product shows promise in improving athletic horses' feed intake, and it could be applicable in this type of scenario.

Brian Nielsen, PhD, PAS, Dipl. ACAN, associate professor in Equine Exercise Physiology at MSU, says, "I was as big of a skeptic on bee pollen as the world has ever found, but these owners of the company (WINNERS Bee Pollen Co.) were willing to put their money where their mouth was," notes Nielsen, and he says this quality is rare among supplement product companies...

What really surprised Nielsen was the bee pollen groups' hay intake. "What we were seeing was that the fiber digestibility on the treatment horses decreased a little bit, but their total amount of fiber digestion went up," he says. "But all of the treatment horses ate more hay (free choice) than any of the control horses on any of the days (an average of 9.4 kg/day consumed as compared to 6.3 kg/day in the control group). That explains it--they were just eating so much more." Horses that consume more dry matter intake have faster rates of passage through digestive tracts and therefore lower fiber digestibilities.

But why were the horses eating more? Nielsen suggests two thoughts: "It is stated or believed that bee pollen has high amounts of vitamins, particularly B-vitamins such as thiamin," he says. "Normally horses synthesize all the B-vitamins that they need. In theory, if you have a heavily stressed horse, he might not be able at times to synthesize enough B-vitamins and therefore might need thiamin, which is one of the reasons why horses conceivably go off feed...

Honey Remedy Could Save Limbs

By Brandon Keim, Wired News, 10/11/2006

When Jennifer Eddy first saw an ulcer on the left foot of her patient, an elderly diabetic man, it was pink and quarter-sized. Fourteen months later, drug-resistant bacteria had made it an unrecognizable black mess.

Doctors tried everything they knew -- and failed. After five hospitalizations, four surgeries and regimens of antibiotics, the man had lost two toes. Doctors wanted to remove his entire foot.

"He preferred death to amputation, and everybody agreed he was going to die if he didn't get an amputation," said Eddy, a professor at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health.

With standard techniques exhausted, Eddy turned to a treatment used by ancient Sumerian physicians, touted in the Talmud and praised by Hippocrates: honey. Eddy dressed the wounds in honey-soaked gauze. In just two weeks, her patient's ulcers started to heal. Pink flesh replaced black. A year later, he could walk again.

"I've used honey in a dozen cases since then," said Eddy. "I've yet to have one that didn't improve."

Eddy is one of many doctors to recently rediscover honey as medicine. Abandoned with the advent of antibiotics in the 1940s and subsequently disregarded as folk quackery, a growing set of clinical literature and dozens of glowing anecdotes now recommend it…

Propolis Water Solution Decreases Heart Mitochondrial Respiration Rate

Cardiology; Recent Findings from Italy and Lithuania Illuminate Research in Cardiology
Heart Disease Weekly, 10/15/2006

2006 OCT 15 - (NewsRx.com) -- Investigators in Italy and Lithuania have published new cardiology data…

Study 2: Propolis water solution decreases heart mitochondrial respiration rate.

Researchers in Lithuania report, "The effect of propolis water solution (PWS) on the respiration of rat heart mitochondria with NAD-linked (pyruvate + malate), FAD-linked (succinate) substrates and fatty acids (palmitoyl-L-carnitine) was investigated in this study."

"PWS at the lowest concentration of 4 mcg mL-1 of phenolic compounds (PC) had no effect on mitochondrial respiration with all investigated substrates," wrote D. Majiene and colleagues at Kaunas University of Medicine.

"PWS at concentrations of 63 and 125 mcg mL-1 of PC caused a significant decrease of basal (24 and 54%) and maximal (58 and 70%) respiration rates with succinate as substrate," noted the investigators. "At these PWS concentrations the oxidation of pyruvate + malate and palmitoyl-L-carnitine was diminished to a lower degree: the basal respiration rate decreased by 13-18% and the maximal respiration rate by 15-28%. Succinate oxidation was affected, probably because of the inhibition of succinate dehydrogenase by the 1,2-benzenedicarboxylic acid esters found in PWS."

"The PWS-caused decrease in the mitochondrial respiration rate with pyruvate + malate and fatty acids could be due to diminished activities of respiratory chain complexes and/or ADP/ATP translocator," the authors concluded.

Majiene and colleagues published their study in the Journal of Pharmacy and Pharmacology (Influence of propolis water solution on heart mitochondrial function. J Pharm Pharmacol, 2006;58(5):709-713).

For additional information, contact D. Majiene, Kaunas University of Medicine, Institute for Biomedical Research, Eiveniu Str 4, LT-50009 Kaunas 7, Lithuania.

Bee-Collected Pollen Can Reduce Bad Cholesterol, Lower Blood Pressure

Smoothie Smarts: Bee pollen. Protein Powder. Ginseng. Do these fat burners trim your gut -- or your wallet?
By Howard Cohen, Miami Herald (USA), 10/102006

Once a simple fruit shake sold behind the counter in health food stores, smoothies are now a $1.6 billion industry with some 33,000 smoothie stores dotting the U.S. landscape, according to Mintel Group, a market research company.

These aren't your fern bar's strawberry/banana blends. These babies make bold promises to burn your fat, to turn Clark Kents into Supermen, even improve your sexual potency. Ooo, la-la.

And we're buying it -- an estimated $20 billion a year on supplements and natural remedies. The most common additives at local smoothie spots, at about $1 a scoop, are whey protein powder, soy bean lecithin, bee pollen, L-glutamine, wheat grass, ginseng and spirulina…

But do these smoothie additives work?...

BEE POLLEN

• THE HYPE: ''The world's most perfect food!'' its manufacturers bellow. After all, it contains more than 4,000 enzymes, is a complete protein with vitamins A, C, D, E and K and its makers claim it boosts energy levels, rejuvenates hair, nails, and enhances memory and stamina.

(Bee pollen is made of plant pollens collected by worker bees combined with plant nectar and bee saliva. Bee pollen first started its buzz in the mid-'70s via coaches who claimed the little yellow granules improved athletic ability.)

• THE SKINNY: Serious allergic reactions can include potentially life-threatening anaphylaxis for those with pollen allergies. Can reduce bad cholesterol and lower blood pressure but additional research is required. Has a honey-like flavor, but with a strong aftertaste that can overpower other ingredients in a smoothie. Best used in moderation -- less than a teaspoon -- sprinkled atop a cup of yogurt, ice cream or cereal (use it like wheat germ).

Honey and Cod Liver Oil Recommended for Leg Ulcers

Honey is a Sweet Cure for Sore Legs
Dr Yvonne Casey, The Sunday Mail (UK), 10/8/2006

Q CAN honey help heal leg ulcers?

A YES but you can't just use any old honey. Excellent results have been achieved by mixing equal parts of liquid cod liver oil and Manuka honey.

Apply to the affected area as a poultice nightly until improvement sets in.

‘Eco Lips’ Lip Balm Uses Organic Beeswax

Eco Lips Offers Protection from the Elements Without Petroleum and Without Harming the Environment
By Elizabeth Nancy, News Target, 10/8/2006

Elizabeth: When you talk about your products, I know that they are certified organic in many ways -- which is definitely important to our readers -- but what I like about your products, now that I've had a chance to use a couple of your different lip balms for a little more than a week, is that not only are they healthy for my lips, but they go on so smoothly. They are also non-greasy and they don't clump up or anything -- it's like you don't even know it's there -- which I think is one of the awesome aspects your products...

Steve: Thank you. It helps working with these great organic ingredients. When we manufacture, we use extremely low temperatures so we can keep the oils as alive as possible. We start with these really high-quality ingredients like organic jojoba oil, organic beeswax and organic essential oils. The outcome can be so much greater than when you are starting with petrolatum and carnauba wax or something like that.

Turkish Beekeepers Want Sermon Against Fake Honey

Imams needs to brief consumers against fake honey so that they are more aware of what they eat, says Giresun Beekeepers Union president
Turkish Daily News, 10/9/2006

Giresun Beekeepers Union President Kubilay Elevli said over the weekend that consumers should be warned against fake honey, asking imam's to brief the public on the matter in Friday sermons.

He said a tip off had recently led gendarmerie to seize three tons of fake honey in the Keşap region of the province, with the union sending samples of it to the Giresun Agriculture Bureau laboratories.

“After we receive the test results, we will file complaints against these people who have no compunction against jeopardizing public health,” he said.

He said during Ramadan, some sold honey outside of mosques, adding, “Most are fasting so they can't taste the honey. We know most of this fake honey is made of glucose…

Solid-phase Extraction (SPE) Used to ‘Clean-Up’ Honey

Synthesis of a Molecularly Imprinted Polymer for the Selective Solid-Phase Extraction of Chloramphenicol from Honey
Journal of Chromatography, 2006 Sep 30

Solid-phase extraction (SPE) with a molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) as sorbent has been investigated for the clean-up of the broad-spectrum bacteriostatic antibiotic chloramphenicol (CAP) in honey samples…

It was shown that recoveries of nearly 100% of a CAP standard solution and up to 94% from spiked honey samples could be obtained after SPE.

Role of Zwitterionic Structures in the Solid-Phase Extraction Based Method Development for Clean Up of Tetracycline and Oxytetracycline from Honey
Journal of Chromatography, 2006 Sep 30

Solid-phase extraction (SPE) based sample clean up of tetracycline (TC) and oxytetracycline (OTC) from honey samples was evaluated using a neutral polymeric sorbent (strata-X), a weak cation exchange polymeric sorbent (strata-X-CW) and a combination of neutral and strong cation exchange sorbents (strata-X plus Strata-Screen-C or strata-X-C)…

Herbal Honey Recommended for Colds

Color Key When Creating Herbal Honey
By Meridith Doane, Mount Vernon News (USA), 10/6/2006

Lavender or Chamomile Honey
4 to 10 tablespoons lavender (buds) or chamomile (buds)
(If using pint jar, 2-5 Tbs. are used)
When using dried leaves rather than buds, fill loosely the container with herbs to the rim.
1 jarfull of honey (pint or quart depending on size)

WAKEMAN — Connie Williams has been working with bees for the past six years, and is the owner of four beehives. Her endeavors in beekeeping have led to a hobby that creates honey that boasts flavors of natural herbs from the garden…

A favorite recipe of her own is a lemon honey — a combination of lemon verbena, scented lemon geranium, lemon balm and lemon thyme. She suggests this particular herb combination in honey for the use of treating colds during the winters months. If she notice she is feeling unwell, she said, she might take a teaspoon. If desired, it could also be mixed with tea...

Williams offers the following tips about making particular honey:

•When making lavender honey, the dried buds should be used, but the stem removed. Lavender will have best flavor when it’s hearty. Also, lavender should be fresh and always used sparingly or taste is strong and bitter.

•When using dried chamomile it should be the German form and only the buds used. The buds may have remnants of leaves and parts of stem remaining; that’s acceptable. It’s always best to use chamomile dried as opposed to fresh as with lavender.

•If the taste of the honey seems too strong for what was anticipated, additional honey may be added to tone down flavor to desired taste.

•During the sun process of producing the honey, some of the buds will rise to the top; that’s common and will not alter the taste. If desired, the jar can be turned upside down to bring the buds back to the bottom, though is not necessary.

Study: Propolis a ‘Potent Scolicidal Agent’

Evaluation on Scolicidal Efficacy of Propolis
European Surgical Research, 2006 Sep 29;38(5):476-481

Background: Propolis is a resinous material collected by bees from various plants. It has antimicrobial, antioxidative, immunostimulative, and regenerative properties. We determined the scolicidal effect of propolis in different concentrations and various exposure times.

Materials and Methods: Tubes containing Echinococcus granulosus protoscoleces were supplementedwith different concentrations of ethyl alcohol extract of propolis…

Results: We determined that 1 mug/ml concentration of propolis killed all of the protoscoleces at the end of the 3rd minute. In the in vivo part of the study, intraperitoneal application of propolis did not cause any side effects or mortality.

Conclusion: We concluded that this natural agent can be used as a potent scolicidal agent after studies which will determine in vivo efficacy and the effects on liver and biliary tree when injected directly into the common bile duct.

Final Program for APIMEDICA 2006 in Greece

Beginning October 12, 2006, the 1st International Forum on Apitherapy (APIMEDICA 2006) will be held in Athens, Greece. The forum's final program is now online.

New Zealand Honey Wound Care Firm to Expand

Comvita Prepares to Expand
By Stephen Ward, New Zealand Herald, 10/4/2006

Comvita's rights issue will slash debt and position the honey products maker for expansion, the company says.

The one-for-four renounceable rights offer, with an exercise price of $3 a share and aimed at raising $10.27 million, opened this week.

Previously, the Bay of Plenty-based company said it aimed to achieve turnover of $100 million by 2010, compared with $31 million last year.

Managing director Brett Hewlett said yesterday the rights issue would increase equity from about 40 per cent to 75 per cent of debt…

Hewlett believed it was a "formality" Comvita's wound care products would get official US sanction, allowing it to get on with distribution…

Honey Used to Treat Bedsores

The Latest Buzz On Honey
By Nancy Krcek Allen, The Record-Eagle (USA), 10/2/2006

After visiting Sharon and Kirk Jones and their beekeeping operation, Sleeping Bear Apiaries, in Benzie County, you might change the saying to "busy as a beekeeper." It's likely that their heavenly Star Thistle honey is what keeps them and their bees going strong…

An herbalist and former nurse, Sharon sings the praises of bees and their generosity.

"Honey has so many amazing properties," she said. "When I graduated from nursing in 1972, I worked in a nursing home where they used honey to heal bedsores. Honey not only stimulates granulation of a wound, the darker it is, the higher its antiseptic and antibiotic activity…

Chinese Propolis Samples Show Strong Antioxidant Activity

Antioxidant Activity and Constituents of Propolis Collected in Various Areas of China
Food Chemistry, Volume 101, Issue 4 , 2007, Pages 1400-1409

Abstract: Propolis is a resinous substance collected by honeybees from various plant sources. The composition of propolis depends on time, vegetation, and the area of collection. This study examined the antioxidant activity of propolis from various areas of China: Heilongjiang, Neimongol, Hebei, Shandong, Shanxi, Gansu, Henan, Hubei, Sichuan, Hunan, Yunnan and Hainan.

…All propolis samples except that from Yunnan had relatively strong antioxidant activity accompanied by high total polyphenol contents. Propolis with strong antioxidant activity contained large amounts of antioxidative compounds, such as caffeic acid, ferulic acid and caffeic acid phenethyl ester. On the other hand, propolis from Yunnan and Hainan had compounds not present in propolis from other areas.

Honey Recommended for Antioxidant Activity

Fitfood: Add Honey for Healthy Helping of Sweetness
By Lisa Ryckman, Rocky Mountain News (USA), 10/3/2006

Question: Please settle this argument. Since I've sworn off refined sugar, I've been using more honey. My husband says that's just as bad, but I say it's not. Who's right?

Answer: You are. Dr. Steven Pratt, author of SuperFoods Rx and SuperFoods HealthStyle, includes honey in his best-foods list.

"The power of honey comes from a wide range of compounds," he says. "Honey contains at least 181 known substances, and its antioxidant activity stems from phenolics, peptides, organic acids and enzymes."

Pratt says that as a general rule, the darker the honey, the higher the level of antioxidants.

In one study, people who added four tablespoons of buckwheat honey to their usual diet for a month had higher levels of protective antioxidants in their blood. Honey also increases good bacteria in the intestines and lowers blood pressure and cholesterol, Pratt says…

See: Buckwheat Honey Increases Serum Antioxidant Capacity in Humans

Bee Venom Component Helps Boost Antitumor Action

Bee Venom Phospholipase A2 and Phosphatidylinositol-(3,4)-Bisphosphate Exert Antitumor Action
Drug Week, 10/6/2006

The cooperation of bee venom secretory phospholipase A2 and phosphatidylinositol-(3,4)-bisphosphate exerts antitumor action and immune activation.

According to researchers in Austria, "We evaluated tumor cell growth modulation by bee venom secretory phospholipase A2 (bv-sPLA2) and phosphatidylinositol-(3,4)-bisphosphate as well as potential cooperative effects. In addition, the immunomodulatory impact of tumor cell treatment was examined by monitoring changes in phenotype and function of monocyte-derived dendritic cells (moDCs) co-cultured with pretreated tumor cells."

"Bv-sPLA2 or phosphatidylinositol-(3,4)-bisphosphate alone displayed moderate effects on the proliferation of A498 renal cell carcinoma cells, T-47D breast cancer cells, DU145 prostate cancer cells and BEAS-2B transformed lung cells," said Thomas Putz and colleagues at the University of Innsbruck. "However, when bv-sPLA2 was co-administered with phosphatidylinositol-(3,4)-bisphosphate a potent inhibition of [H] thymidine incorporation into all tested cell lines occurred."

"This inhibition was due to massive cell lysis that reduced the number of cells with proliferative capacity," stated Putz and his collaborators. "Importantly, tumor cell lysates generated with bv-sPLA2 plus phosphatidylinositol-(3,4)-bisphosphate induced maturation of human moDCs demonstrated by enhanced expression of CD83 and improved stimulation in allogeneic mixed leukocyte reactions."

The researchers concluded, "Our data demonstrate that bv-sPLA2 and phosphatidylinositol-(3,4)-bisphosphate synergistically generate tumor lysates which enhance the maturation of immunostimulatory human monocyte-derived dendritic cells.

Putz and his coauthors published their study in Cancer Immunology Immunotherapy (Antitumor action and immune activation through cooperation of bee venom secretory phospholipase A2 and phosphatidylinositol-(3,4)-bisphosphate. Cancer Immunol Immunother, 2006;55(11):1374-1383).

For additional information, contact Martin Thurnher, Department of Urology, University of Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria. E-mail: martin.thurnher@uibk.ac.at.

Bee Products Popular as Gift Ingredients

The Ultimate Honey Do List
AmericasMart gift store buyers find a world of goods created from byproducts of busy bees
Nedra Rhone, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (USA), 9/28/2006

The secret life of bees is a secret no more. These popular insects caused quite a buzz at AmericasMart, as gift store buyers descended upon everything from soap to soups during a recent show.

Clearly Burt's Bees aren't the only ones staying busy.

Honey and other bee byproducts like beeswax, propolis and royal jelly served as key ingredients in a variety of product categories — from inspirational to high design. All of this productivity has occurred in spite of mite attacks that have wiped out 30 percent to 50 percent of colonies held by commercial beekeepers nationwide…