New ‘Free Range’ Bee Pollen Supplement Launched in U.S.

JoeBees.com Releases Flagship Product JOEBEES(TM); a Daily All Natural 'Free Range' Bee Pollen Supplement That Boosts the Immune System
PR Web, 1/31/2008

JOEBEES(TM) is the first company to provide a 'free range' all natural bee pollen supplement. These unique pollen filled capsules provide 'Total Nutrition' to support every cell in the body. JOEBEES(TM) also provides an increase in energy levels, including greater stamina and overall strength...

Honey and Cancer, Dental Health, Gastric Disorders, Wound Healing

Literature Review of Honey and Health Benefits
Susan Lutz, PhD; Shirzad Chunara, MHSc RD; Rae Kennedy, BSc
Alberta Beekeepers (ABA), August 2007

[Editor’s Note: This is the second in a series of articles containing excerpts from the Canadian report ”Literature Review of Honey and Health Benefits” published in August of last year.]

Cancer

Human trials based on approximately 125 subjects in two well designed studies and two clinical trials using varied dosages of honey demonstrated positive effects on antioxidant potential for the prevention of cancer and as a beneficial aid in the treatment of cancer. Only one animal study was found using in vitro and in vivo as the experimental design. It looked at the anti-tumour effects of honey against bladder cancer in mice. There were no cell culture studies reported for honey and cancer.

Dental Health

Dental health human studies consisted of one very well designed and one well designed trial for the use of honey. The reports used 112 subjects for the treatment of gingivitis and periodontal disease, as well as minimizing post-surgical pain and edema from impacted molars using honey either orally or topically. There was only one clinical study conducted on dental health where honey did not have an effect on the cariogenicity in irradiated patients due to the lack of adequate control subjects. There were no animal studies conducted on honey and dental health.

One review article studied the potential of honey to promote oral wellness. It focussed on the large majority of the literature, which indicated that honey has potential for therapeutic use in various areas of dentistry, however further trials are needed before its usefulness is known.

Gastric Disorders

There were only two human studies regarding gastric disorders and honey that involved approximately 190 subjects in total. However, the two had different findings. The well-designed clinical trial concluded that the oral administration of 50mL of honey significantly reduced gastroenteritis symptoms in infants, but the other demonstrated laxative effects in healthy adults who were given either 50 mL or 100 mL of honey. This could be considered a positive effect, for those wanting to use honey to relieve constipation, but more research would be required to support this result.

Three animal studies were conducted using rats as the subject species in each case. Honey was given either under the skin or orally to animals with induced gastric damage. Honey was found to decrease post-operative abdominal cavity damage, decrease gastric lesions caused by necrotising agents and reduce gastric ulcerative damage.

One cell culture study discussed the antibacterial effect of honey on the prevention of diarrhea caused by enteropathogens.

Hematology

There were two well designed and two clinical human trials with positive outcomes regarding the effect of honey on hematological indices, blood pressure and blood ethanol elimination. Approximately 150 subjects of both healthy nature and those with conditions such as type-2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension and hyperlipidemia were used. Hematological parameters improved upon the ingestion of various dosages of honey in the majority of subjects.

Three animal studies on honey and hematology each used approximately 52 healthy sheep, 30 alcohol tolerant mice and 30 rats respectively. Results indicated significant biochemical improvements in liver and renal function tests as well as in blood lipid and blood sugar profiles in sheep when treated by intravenous/intrapulmonary administration of honey solution or oral administration. Oral administration of honey inhibited blood cell diameter increase that is often due to excessive alcohol consumption and ameliorated biochemical and haematological changes during blood loss in both rat and mice studies. There were no cell culture studies reported on honey and hematology.

Other

There was one clinical trial for the treatment of recurrent herpes lesions with topical honey and a one very well designed clinical trial that demonstrated no significant difference for honey as a treatment in the relief of hay fever symptoms.

The three studies on the use of topical honey for skin conditions all had positive outcomes for the management of dermatitis; psoriasis and other varying skin disorders.

Two animal studies using two different species proved to have positive outcomes on antibody production in primary and secondary immune responses in mice and increased plasma and urinary nitric oxide metabolites in sheep.

One In vitro study concluded honey to have a positive effect on inhibiting upper respiratory tract bacterial pathogens.

Wound Healing

Literature regarding honey for wound healing far outweighed all the other studies. Approximately 1170 human subjects participated in honey and wound management studies in total. All the clinical trials have shown that honey can be a broad-spectrum antibacterial agent and is relatively safe. There were no known adverse effects on wound tissue noted in any of the studies reviewed. However, 25 of the studies were of poor scientific quality and therefore may be disregarded by most regulatory reviewers. There were also four trials, which included approximately 188 subjects, which concluded that there was not enough substantial evidence for honey to be used for wound healing.

There were four different species used in the animal studies: rats, mice, rabbits, and a stumptail macaque, totalling approximately 150 animals. The results concluded that when honey was used in combination with wound dressings, it provided rapid healing, and promoted healthy cell and tissue growth and other healing parameters.

The fourteen articles on cell studies discussed honey as an efficient antimicrobial agent and inhibitor of infection.

The majority of the 15 review articles concluded that although ancient civilizations have used honey as a wound healing agent and many of the studies have shown honey to be beneficial when used for different health conditions, there is a lack of high quality, randomized controlled trials which can support the use of honey in wound care. In addition, further research is required to understand how the properties of honey work to heal the different types of wounds (i.e. burns, ulcers, pressure wounds)…

Copies of this report are available by contacting:

Alberta Beekeepers
#102, 11434 – 168th Street
Edmonton, Alberta T5M 3T9
Phone: (780) 489-6949
Fax: (780) 467-8640
Email: Gertie.Adair@AlbertaBeekeepers.org

Molan: MGO Level Not Good Indicator of Honey’s Antibacterial Activity

The representation of the antibacterial activity of manuka honey as the level in it of the active component MGO would be very misleading for consumers. A paper ("Isolation by HPLC and characterisation of the bioactive fraction of New Zealand manuka (Leptospermum scoparium) honey”) recently published in the journal ‘Carbohydrate Research’ by members of the Chemistry Department at the University of Waikato shows clearly that the level of MGO does not give a good indication of the antibacterial activity of the honey. Although it is the component responsible for the activity, complex interactions with other components of the honey cause the actual antibacterial activity that results from it in the honey to vary.

The graph shown in the published paper of MGO plotted against antibacterial activity shows that for example, a level of 50 for MGO corresponds to an antibacterial activity of UMF5, but a ten times higher level of MGO, 500, corresponds to only a five times higher antibacterial activity (UMF25, not UMF50 as may be expected). The graph also shows a lot of scatter of the data, meaning that even for a single stated level of MGO the actual antibacterial activity can very quite a lot.

The currently used rating system, UMF, measures the actual antibacterial activity of each batch of honey, tested against Staphylococcus aureus, the species of bacteria that is the most common cause of wound infections. It is a very good way of showing the antibacterial activity, has been in world-wide use for many years, and has been relied on for many research papers that have been published on the antibacterial activity of honey, and relied on for a very large amount of clinical treatment with manuka honey.

Because the level of MGO is an unreliable indication of the level of antibacterial activity and can be very misleading, I can see no advantage for it to be used to indicate antibacterial activity other than if someone wanted to fool the consumer into thinking that the higher levels of MGO are giving them a level of antibacterial activity that is far higher than they are really getting.

Dr. Peter Molan
Professor in Biological Sciences & Director of the Honey Research Unit
University of Waikato
Private Bag 3105
Hamilton 3240
New Zealand

Telephone +64 7 838 4325
Fax +64 7 838 4324

Visit the Honey Research Unit on http://honey.bio.waikato.ac.nz/

Honey, Royal Jelly May Help Treat Reduced Sperm Motility

Midcycle Pericoital Intravaginal Bee Honey and Royal Jelly for Male Factor Infertility
Int J Gynaecol Obstet, 2008 Jan 26

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of pericoital intravaginal applications of a mixture of Egyptian bee honey and royal jelly (H/RJ) in the midcycle for the treatment of infertility due to asthenozoospermia.

METHODS: Sohag University Hospital and Asyut Gynecology and Infertility Clinic conducted a crossover study of 99 couples affected by asthenozoospermia. One group used midcycle pericoital vaginal applications of H/RJ and the other underwent a standard intrauterine insemination (IUI) procedure, for 3 cycles or until conception occurred for both groups. After a washout period of 2 months, the couples for whom no pregnancy occurred were crossed over.

RESULTS: A total of 553 cycles were analyzed. There were 23 (8.1%) and 7 (2.6%) pregnancies per cycle, respectively, in the H/RJ and the IUI groups, and the difference was statistically significant (P<0.001).

CONCLUSION: Using H/RJ intravaginally might be a simple and reasonably effective method of treating asthenozoospermia.

Apitherapy News to Publish Excerpts of Canadian Report on Honey and Health

Literature Review of Honey and Health Benefits: Introduction
Susan Lutz, PhD; Shirzad Chunara, MHSc RD; Rae Kennedy, BSc
Alberta Beekeepers (ABA), August 2007

[Editor’s Note: This is the first in a series of articles containing excerpts from the Canadian report ”Literature Review of Honey and Health Benefits” published in August of last year.]

Honey is the sweet, viscous fluid produced by honeybees (Apis melliflera) using the nectar of flowers. In general, the composition of honey contains approximately 70-80% sugar, mainly from fructose and glucose. Water, minerals, vitamins, traces of protein, and other substances such as antioxidants make up the remainder. Ancient Egyptians, Assyrians, Chinese, Romans and Greeks have traditionally used honey as a medicinal remedy, for the management of wound healing, skin ailments and various gastrointestinal diseases.

Modern research has shown that honey may possess anti-inflammatory activity and stimulate immune responses within a wound. The therapeutic importance of certain types of honey has been attributed to its antibacterial agents and in some countries approved for the market as a therapeutic product. Medihoney® and Active Manuka® honey can currently be purchased as wound healing medicates in Australia and New Zealand.

In Canada, the majority of honey produced comes from clover, alfalfa and canola, which is primarily produced in the Prairie Provinces. Honey products may benefit from using the new labelling options to advertise their health benefit to gain entry into this niche marketplace. The Canadian Natural Health Products (NHP) Regulations came into effect January 1st, 2004, so if a honey product was to have any health claims, it must be marketed under these NHP regulations. The regulations require each product to apply for a license, which will result in a natural health product number (NPN similar to DIN). New natural health products cannot be marketed in Canada without first receiving a product license. A critical summary of all the evidence and how it supports the health claim requested must be submitted to Health Canada for approval. The ability to communicate the health benefit to specific types of honey may also lead to greater consumer awareness of the benefits of local Alberta products.

The Alberta Beekeepers Association (ABA) and the Alberta Crop Industry Development Fund (ACIDF) have teamed up and requested the expertise available through Alberta Agriculture and Food, to conduct a literature review of the health benefits of honey, which would meet Health Canada standards. Depending on the quality of the research available from this literature review, ABA will then proceed to:

1. create a marketing strategy based on scientifically supported health claim(s) and work with companies to create ‘honey for health’ products which can apply to Health Canada for NHP marketing approval; and/or
2. request research proposals to fill research gaps for honey health claims that appear strong, but need further investigation to meet Health Canada’s requirements.

The purpose of this report was to follow the Health Canada guidelines for natural health products regulations and thus:

• to review published scientific literature to evaluate current information on the various healing aspects of honey and its uses for other health benefits,
• to investigate the level of evidence for each of the potential health benefits of honey (antibacterial, antiseptic, wound management, cancer, etc),
• to review the safety aspects of using honey for health benefits, and
• to review traditional evidence which may support a traditional health claim under a specific paradigm as well as assessing the freedom to operate (i.e. No conflict with existing patents) if new honey health products are proposed and thus:
• to conduct a patent search of health related honey products on the market.

This comprehensive review of the literature outlines what is known about the medical properties of honey and provides guidance to what further research and information may be required before honey can be marketed for health benefits in Canada…

Copies of this report are available by contacting:

Alberta Beekeepers
#102, 11434 – 168th Street
Edmonton, Alberta T5M 3T9
Phone: (780) 489-6949
Fax: (780) 467-8640
Email: Gertie.Adair@AlbertaBeekeepers.org

Apitherapy Course to be Offered April 4-6 in Seattle

American Apitherapy Society 13th Annual Training Course and Conference - CMACC 2008

Apitherapy Conference to Take Modern Look at Ancient Healing
Health Care with Honeybee Products including Bee Venom Therapy

April 4 - 6 at the Quality Inn, Seattle, WA

See http://www.apitherapy.org/ for further information, or call (631) 470 9446

Honey Recommended for Burns, Scalds

The Cures in Your Kitchen
The Daily Express, (UK), 1/29/2008

You don’t have to run to the doctor for every bruise, bite or cold sore when the solution may well be in your kitchen cupboard. Here we look at the best home remedies for some common complaint…

Burns & Scalds

Immerse the burnt area in cold water for at least 20 minutes to cool the skin, stop burning and relieve pain.

Try: A dab of honey. Researchers in India found that honey was more effective than silver sulphadiazine, the effective ingredient in conventional burns treatment cream. Soak a flannel in ice-cold whole milk and apply to the burn for 10 minutes at a time.

Starch Boosts Antifungal Activity of Honey

Additive Action of Honey and Starch Against Candida Albicans and Aspergillus Niger
Rev Iberoam Micol, 2007; 24:309-311

A comparative method of adding honey to culture media with and without starch was used to evaluate the action of starch on the antifungal activity of honey.

The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) expressed in % (v/v) for two varieties of honey without starch against Candida albicans was 42% and 46%, respectively. For Aspergillus niger the MIC without starch was 51% and 59%, respectively. When starch was incubated with honey and then added to media the MIC for C. albicans was 28% and 38%, respectively, with a starch concentration of 3.6% whereas the MIC for A. niger was 40% and 45%, with a starch concentration of 5.6% and 5.1% respectively.

This study suggests that the amylase present in honey increases the osmotic effect in the media by increasing the amount of sugars and consequently increasing the antifungal activity.

Contact: laid_bouk@hotmail.com

Outlook Good for Manuka Honey Crop

Radio New Zealand, 1/28/2008

The hot, dry weather in the central North Island is proving a boon for beekeepers and a bumper manuka honey crop is expected.

It is reportedly the hottest weather in the region for eight to 10 years and honey bees perform far better in warm weather.

Active Manuka Honey Association chair Moira Haddrell, of Taihape, says beekeepers could be in for a bumper manuka honey crop if the warm weather continues…

Study Investigates Anti-Arthritic Effect of Bee Venom

Effects of Melittin on the Production of Matrix Metalloproteinase-1 and -3 in Rheumatoid Arthritic Fibroblast-Like Synoviocytes
Journal of Pharmacological Sciences, Vol. 106 (2008) , No. 1 pp.162-166

Bee venom (BV) has been used in patients with arthritis, including rheumatoid arthritis, to reduce pain and edema . In the arthritic rat model, BV has been shown to act as an anti-inflammatory adjuvant and to reduce LPS-induced inflammatory edema and polyarthritis. The hydrophilic peptide melittin, the major active ingredient of BV, may retain anti-RA activity in rabbit models of immune-mediated arthritis.

We have previously shown that melittin downregulates MMP-3 expression in human osteoarthritic chondrocytes. Here, we examined the effects of melittin on MMP1 and MMP3 production in human FLS obtained from RA patients…

Taken together, these results suggest that melittin inhibits LPS-mediated FLS activation by acting on a signaling pathway that LPS does not share with IL-1β or TNF-α. Alternatively, melittin may mediate its anti-inflammatory action through enhanced cortisol secretion, as suggested by a recent report showing stimulation of adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) and beta-endorphin release from the corticotropic cells of the rat adenohypophysis by melittin (16).

In summary, the present study establishes that inhibition of MMP3 production is an integral component of the anti-arthritic effects of melittin, which acts, at least in part, through inhibition of NF-κB.

Scientist: Colony Collapse Disorder Due to Malnutrition, Disease

Scientists Say It’s Time to Act Now to Ward Off a Pollination Crisis
Madolyn Rogers, Santa Cruz Sentinel (USA), 1/27/2008

At the 28th annual Ecological Farming Conference in Monterey Thursday, scientists discussed the possible causes of the steep loss of honeybee colonies nationwide in 2007, and said now is the time to take action to ward off a pollination crisis.

Entomologist Eric Mussen of UC Davis said the phenomenon, dubbed Colony Collapse Disorder in 2007, is not new. Similar losses occurred in the winter of 2005 and also in 1963-1965. In every case, adult bees abandoned the nests, leaving their queen behind.

The cause of these periodic collapses is still not certain, Mussen said, but he believes it's due to a combination of malnutrition and disease…

Apitherapy Products Production Site Launched in Russia

Cosmetics Based on Honey will be Manufactured in Ufa city (Bashkiria)
Cosmetics in Russia, 1/24/2008

In December 2007 Apitherapy and beekeeping center from Bashkiria launched a production site to manufacture cosmetics based on honey and api-products. Over 20 skus of shampoos, shower gels, facial and body creams, aftershave products and even home care products under trademark Volshebnaya Pchela (Fairy Beer) are manufactured at the plant. Amir Ishemgulov, general director of Apitherapy and beekeeping center, commented: "We use only purely natural ingredients. Our products are as effective as professional cosmetics, but we strongly intend to keep affordable price level. At beauty exhibitions in Moscow and Saint Petersburg we got a lot of favourable comments on our work".

The manufacturer claims Bashkir honey, propolis and royal jelly are especially good for skin recondition. In Russia Volshebnaya Pchela cosmetics will be distributed in 35 regions. Besides that, the first batch of the products is to be supplied in Germany in the middle of 2008…

Russian Conference to Focus on Protection of European Dark Bee

1st International Conference “Apiculture in the XXI Century”

Dark Bee (Apis mellifera mellifera L.) in Russia
International Industrial Academy
May 19-22, 2008, Moscow, Russia

Apitherapy Products Add Value to New Zealand Honey Exports

Beekeeping Sector Flies Ahead on Export Growth
By Hugh Stringleman, The National Business Review (New Zealand), 1/25/2008

With a reputation for one of the world's highest standards of honeys and bee products, apiculture in New Zealand is adding value to exports in ways that other primary industries might well emulate.

Beyond traditional uses, bee products are now found in health supplements, functional foods and wound dressings.

Five dollars' worth of high active-ingredient manuka honey, for example, is refined, further processed and packaged into products selling for 15 to 50 times more, according to promotional material from Comvita, the listed industry leader, which has a $66 million market capitalisation…

A future income stream for beekeepers and landowners will be the planting of manuka/kanuka trees which can earn carbon credits under the Kyoto Protocol and will increase the value of the subsequent honey.

Comvita has a commercial relationship with Kyoto Forests NZ of Wellington in this regard to resource and encourage its suppliers…

The excitement in world markets over New Zealand manuka honeys with high unique factors is dragging up prices for all multifloral honeys, he said.

Comvita wound-care US partner Derma Sciences has achieved the first marketing clearance from the Food and Drug Administration for a honey-based product for the management of wounds and burns. Those products were launched in the US in October...

Comvita made three purchases in 2007, the most recent being Kiwibee apiarist of Northland, a medical honey supplier. Kiwibee has 3000 hives on 150 manuka sites and generates $1 million in annual sales. It was bought by Comvita for $2.15 million.

Mr Hewlett said Comvita's business plan was not to vertically integrate by purchasing apiarists, being quite happy with its network of 120 suppliers. However, Kiwibee's output was of the high standard necessary to supply Comvita's medically authorised plant in Cambridge, and was secured to meet the forecast "medihoney" demand…

Flowers’ Beauty Used to Attract Pollinators

Probing Question: Why are Flowers Beautiful?
By Lisa Duchene, Research/Penn State, 1/24/2008

…People love flowers for their array of colors, textures, shapes and fragrances. But is pleasing the human eye the purpose of nature's floral design?

Hardly. Survival is the plant's top priority, reminds Claude dePamphilis, a Penn State plant evolutionary biologist and principal investigator of the Floral Genome Project.

"The beauty of the flower is a byproduct of what it takes for the plant to attract pollinators," said dePamphilis. "The features that we appreciate are cues to pollinators that there are rewards to be found in the flower."…

To aid insects in finding the nectar — and thus, the pollen — many flowering plants have evolved to possess bright colors (hummingbirds and butterflies favor reds and yellows), as well as "nectar guides" that may only be visible in ultraviolet (UV) light—a wavelength of the light spectrum bees can see and people cannot. From a bee's-eye-view, the UV colors and patterns in a flower's petals dramatically announce the flower's stash of nectar and pollen...

New Zealand Firm Certifies Antibacterial Level of Honey

First Certified Manuka Honey Launched
Scoop Independent News, 1/24/2008

Manuka Health New Zealand Ltd today announced the launch of the first manuka honey products certified to contain specified levels of the antibacterial ingredient.

This follows publication by a German university scientist of a paper which shows for the first time the natural compound Methylglyoxal is responsible for manuka honey’s unique health-giving properties.

Manuka Health chief executive Kerry Paul said the University of Dresden’s discovery was highly significant for the honey industry and for consumers.

“We now know the natural compound Methylglyoxal is what makes manuka honey special.”

“As a result Manuka Health is proud to be the first company to market manuka honey indicating the Methylglyoxal level.

Mr Paul predicted the MGO™ Manuka Honey scale would become the standard against which Manuka honey would be measured in future…

Colony Collapse Disorder Blamed on Bee Malnutrition

Malnutrition May Have Helped Wipe out 750K Bee Hives
By Alan Fischer, The Tucson Citizen (USA), 1/24/2008

Area researchers believe bee malnutrition contributes to a mysterious phenomenon that wiped out 30 percent of domestic honeybee hives.

"Something like poor nutrition will set up many things," said Gloria Degrandi-Hoffman, director of the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Carl Hayden Bee Research Center in Tucson. "Just like humans, if bees are not eating well they are likely to come down with illnesses and be less resistant to diseases and stresses."

Colony Collapse Disorder, or CCD, saw vast numbers of adult worker bees abandon their hives and die, leaving crops unpollinated…

Tucson researchers developed a diet supplement called MegaBee that is a pollen substitute containing a complete mix of proteins, vitamins and minerals needed for bee colony growth and health, she said…

Honey Project Uses Technology to Teach Teens Entrepreneurship

Technology Partnership Makes Learning for Teens Sweet

Fort Lauderdale, Florida (PRWEB) January 24, 2008 -- The Honey Project is a company run and operated by Teens. Headquartered in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida the Honey Project provides high school students a free 12-week Entrepreneurship training (currently held at Keiser University).

With the completion, students have an opportunity to put their skills to practice in a legitimate business setting at the Honey Project running the business of importing and marketing organic honey from Western Africa.

This unique program and company exposes teens to a multitude of technology applications and tools including the HP iPAQ…

Royal Jelly Component May Help Heal Brain Injuries

AMP N1-oxide Potentiates Astrogenesis by Cultured Neural Stem/Progenitor Cells Through STAT3 Activation
Biomedical Research, Vol. 28, pp.295-299 (2007)

We earlier identified adenosine monophosphate (AMP) N1-oxide as a unique compound of royal jelly (RJ) that induces neurite outgrowth from cultured rat pheochromocytoma PC12 cells.

In the present study, the effects of AMP N1-oxide on the proliferation and/or differentiation of cultured neural stem/progenitor cells (NSCs) were examined…

These results suggest that AMP N1-oxide is one of the components that facilitates astrogenesis by NSCs through activation of STAT3…

Our present results suggest that AMP N1-oxide may be a good tool for protection against and therapy for certain brain injuries, because astrocytes play important roles in brain development and the response to injury…

Biological Activity of Propolis Related to Propolin Level

Characterisation of Taiwanese Propolis Collected from Different Locations and Seasons
Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, Volume 88, Issue 3 , Pages 412 - 419

Background: Characterisation of propolis is difficult because of the fact that its chemical composition can vary with its source of origin. The aim of this study was to establish distinctive criteria relating to quantifiable quality features of Taiwanese propolis (TP).

Thirty-four samples of TP were collected from nine different locations in different seasons. Based on colour, the 34 samples were categorised into three groups, TW-I (green), TW-II (brownish green) and TW-III (dark brown). Ethanolic extracts of these samples were tested for dry extract yield, total phenolic content, propolin content, antiradical activity and antimicrobial activities.

Results: TW-I had a higher dry extract yield (71.5 ± 6.0%), a higher total phenolic content and higher propolin levels than TW-II and TW-III. It also showed a stronger ability to scavenge 1,2-diphenyl-2-picryhydrazyl (DPPH) free radicals. Both TW-I and TW-II had higher antimicrobial activities than TW-III.

Conclusion: The results indicated that the high biological activities of TW-I might be correlated with its high content of propolins. In summary, propolin content, colour and season might be useful as quality parameters of TP.

U.S. Firm Launches Campaign to Promote Health Benefits of Honey

Wisconsin Natural Acres Launches "Honey with Integrity" Campaign
2008 Kicks Off With Independent Lab Results Confirming Pureness of WNA's Honey

CHILTON, WI--(MARKET WIRE)--Jan 21, 2008 -- Wisconsin Natural Acres, producer of all-natural honey and home to millions of healthy, happy and thriving honeybees, today announced the launch of its 2008 Honey with Integrity campaign. The Honey with Integrity campaign will span the 2008 year, promoting the health benefits of honey, and ways it can be incorporated into a healthy lifestyle.

To launch this campaign, Wisconsin Natural Acres commissioned S-F Analytical Laboratories to test its honey for insecticides, chemicals or other foreign substances. S-F Laboratories is one of the Midwest's largest environmental, industrial and food analysis facilities, serving the testing needs of more than 4,000 clients throughout the US and Canada. Test results were overwhelmingly favorable, with no detectable amounts of organo-phosphate, chlorinated insecticides or antibiotics being found in WNA's honey...

Video: Israeli Honey Offers Hope to Cancer Patients

By Nicky Blackburn, Israel 21C, 1/21/2008

View the Video

…It took 30 years of research to develop LifeMel Honey. Produced by bees fed on a special nectar derived from 40 therapeutic herbs including Siberian ginseng, Echinacea,uncaria tomentosa, and other natural ingredients such as iron, protein and vitamins, the honey has been shown in a clinical trial to be effective in decreasing the incidence of anemia in cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy.

In the trial on 30 patients, carried out at Sieff Hospital in Tzvat by Prof. Jamal Ziden, Dr. Moshe Stein of Rambam Hospital and Prof. Eitan Friedman of Sheba Medical Center, 64 percent of the patients showed a decrease in anemia and the incidence of severe neutropenia. In addition, the honey was found to lower the incidence of potentially fatal thrombocytopenia (low platelets).,.

The authors of the study, which was published in the Journal of Medical Oncology, concluded that "LifeMel Honey is a very expensive, safe and effective method of preventing chemotherapy-induced pancytopenia."…

The idea behind LifeMel Honey came from Dr. Alexander Goroshit, a Russian immigrant to Israel. In the 1970s, as a medical student in the Soviet Union, he was involved in a medical project charting cholera cases in a village in the Russian countryside.

Goroshit made a map of the village and noted all the houses where the disease had hit. He was surprised to find two areas where there had been no cases of cholera at all. He visited both areas and discovered they were populated by the families of beekeepers. Goroshit was fascinated and began to research the topic of honey, bee-keeping and medicinal plants…

Today Zuf Globus develops many different types of medicinal honey including Dermomel, a honey designed to reduce the suffering that pressure sores cause the elderly. LifeMel was originally created to help a member of staff who was suffering from acute anemia.

The company is also researching new potential honey treatments including one for AIDS sufferers, and another for treating women going through menopause. Clinical trials are now taking place on both these new honeys, and should be completed within the next few months. Trials are also taking place on a honey to build the immune system...

Anti-Recombinogenic Effect of Propolis is Dose-Dependent

Inhibitory Effects of Water Extract of Propolis on Doxorubicin-Induced Somatic Mutation and Recombination in Drosophila Melanogaster
Food and Chemical Toxicology, Article in Press, Corrected Proof

Abstract: Propolis is a substance produced by honeybees (Apis mellifera L.). Its components are strong antioxidants and free radical scavengers.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the protective effects of a water extract of Brazilian green propolis (WEP) combined with the antitumor agent doxorubicin (DXR) on Drosophila melanogaster wing cells through the somatic mutation and recombination test (SMART)…

The results obtained with the two different crosses were rather similar. Neither toxicity nor genotoxicity were observed in WEP treated series. Simultaneous treatment with different concentrations of WEP and DXR led to a reduction in the frequency of recombination compared to the treatment with DXR alone.

This anti-recombinogenic effect was proportional to the concentrations applied, indicating a dose–response correlation and can be attributed to the powerful scavenger ability of WEP.

Healthcare Professionals May Request Free Sample of MEDIHONEY

U.S. Firm Expands Sales Team to Promote Honey Wound Care Product

Derma Sciences Expands Direct Sales Force for Advanced Wound Care, Looks to Double Again in 2008

PRINCETON, N.J., Jan. 18 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Derma Sciences, Inc. , a provider of advanced wound care products, said that it has increased its direct-sales staff significantly, based on a number of new products that are finding favor in target markets. The company, which had only two direct salespersons in the US a year ago, now has nine, and will move to 21 by 2009.

The increase is a significant one for Derma Sciences, which has been growing sales at an accelerating rate, and which has introduced several new products over the last couple of years. Most recently, the company launched MEDIHONEY(TM) Calcium Alginate with Active Leptospermum Honey. This product, along with several line extensions to be launched in 2008, is covered under several patents.

Chairman and CEO Ed Quilty commented, "MEDIHONEY has made quite a stir since we introduced it a few months back, and we are looking forward to it as a strong lead product for the sales force. Expanding our sales force allows us to maximize the opportunity, and also broadens the coverage of our entire product line of advanced wound-care products. We will be detailing wound-care centers, nursing homes, hospitals and medical specialists…

MEDIHONEY is the first honey-based product marketed in the US for advanced wound care, although similar products have been marketed in the UK and Europe for some time. It is comprised primarily of active Leptospermum honey, which is noted for its effects on wound healing and burn management. Derma Sciences also supplies products such as the antimicrobial silver-based ALGICELL(TM) Ag and a variety of additional proprietary wound-healing products…

New Hive Design Patented

The new hive is claimed to produce more honey and increase the number of bees by 15 percent.

Patent: The invention relates to a device for keeping a colony of bees with less annoyance both to the bees and to the beekeeper and so improving the productivity of the hive. It consists of a hive body in bipyramidal form (1) with a pericentral plinth (5) having depressions (8) and fixing points to which may be connected projections (7) belonging to superhives (2) or to the other accessories. The whole assembly allows the bees to construct their cells in frames (3) of variable surface area assembled together by hooks which attach to specific holes in the corners of the frames (3). The bees have access to this device via the flight floor (4) suspended from the base of the hive body (1). The device of the invention is particularly intended for beekeeping.

Comvita Encouraged By Medical Honey Trial Results Despite Bad Press

New Zealand Company News Bites, 1/18/2008

Comvita Ltd says it is encouraged by the results of its 2006 "honey as adjuvant therapy for leg ulcers" trial by the University of Auckland, despite the British Journal of Surgery giving the impression the results were not in favour of honey.

CEO Brett Hewlett said the results of the trial, which used honey dressings on venous leg ulcers with compression therapy, were inconclusive because the sample size of participants was too small.

Comvita said the trial results showed a 5.9 percent increase in the healing rate for participants treated with honey at 12 weeks.

Mr Hewlett said while clinically important, the results did not reach statistical significance...

Mr Hewlett said while press releases about the trial said honey dressings were more expensive than usual care, when all costs were considered, including hospitalisation for the group that was not treated with honey, they were actually 5.8 percent lower...

Video: Bees Prompt New 'Sting Shield' Gear For Firefighters

Local6.com, 1/16/2008

Firefighters in Central Florida will be carrying new "Sting Shield" insect veils offering protection against bees in the area.

Every Kissimmee firefighter will have the special fabric hoods to protect them from facial attacks and stings...

Brazilian Propolis Evaluated for Key Component

Validated Method for the Quantification of Artepillin-C in Brazilian Propolis
Phytochemical Analysis, Early View (Articles online in advance of print)

Abstract: Brazilian propolis contains several phenolic compounds among which 5 diprenyl-4-hydroxycinnamic acid (artepillin-C) is commonly found in areas where flora is rich in Baccharis species.

The quantification of artepillin-C has become an important factor as an indicator of Brazilian propolis quality and the compound may be used as a chemical marker for quality control in exportating green propolis.

This work was to validate the method and evaluate the content of artepillin-C from 33 samples collected in different Brazilian regions…

Propolis from the southeast region presented the highest level of artepillin-C (5.0-11.0%). (Propolis) from the northeast region did not show any artepillin-C.

U.S. Apitherapy Firm Settles Trademark Suit Against Filmmakers

Bee Movie Bosses Stung By Skincare Firm
WENN Entertainment News Wire Service, 1/17/2008

Studio bosses behind animated movie hit BEE MOVIE have settled a dispute with a honey-based skincare company in Florida over a slogan-stealing controversy.

BeeCeuticals LLC owner Richie Gerber, who is DJ Howard Stern's cousin, filed suit against Dreamworks SKG and Paramount Pictures after they used the slogan 'Give Bees A Chance' on posters for the Jerry Seinfeld film.

Gerber insisted he had trademarked the slogan, and the use of it without proper permission was an infringement.

The movie executives settled with the BeeCeuticals boss earlier this week. Details of the settlement have not been released.

Bioactive Fraction of Manuka Honey Identified

Isolation by HPLC and Characterisation of the Bioactive Fraction of New Zealand Manuka (Leptospermum Scoparium) Honey
Carbohydrate Research, Article in Press, Corrected Proof

Abstract: Using HPLC a fraction of New Zealand manuka honey has been isolated, which gives rise to the non-peroxide antibacterial activity. This fraction proved to be methylglyoxal, a highly reactive precursor in the formation of advanced glycation endproducts (AGEs).

Methylglyoxal concentrations in 49 manuka and 34 non-manuka honey samples were determined using a direct detection method and compared with values obtained using standard o-phenylenediamine derivatisation. Concentrations obtained using both the methods were similar and varied from 38 to 828 mg/kg.

Honey Recommended for Venous, Diabetic Ulcers

Sweet on Honey's Healing Power
Barbara Turnbull, Toronto Star (Canada), 1/15/2008

Honey, I shrunk the cuts.

And if the hype around a new honey-based medical dressing is to be believed, it will continue shrinking ulcers at hospitals and wound-care clinics. What's more, it promises to also kill some resistant superbugs in wounds where antibiotics have failed.

Medihoney, newly approved in Canada and the U.S. as an anti-microbial dressing for managing chronic and acute wounds and burns, has recently been launched here by Derma Sciences, a manufacturer of wound- and skin-care products. The honey-based dressing is being evaluated at several hospitals, including Toronto's University Health Network.

"In the right wound, it's been very effective," says Nora Southon, a Hamilton wound-care nurse with 30 years' experience in treating difficult ulcers. "I've got a lot of patients on it right now, it's really taken off."…

Venous leg ulcers are usually the most challenging to treat, although about 75 per cent will heal with compression alone. For those that won't, compression is usually added to a medicated dressing. Studies with patients whose ulcers did not improve within six months of compression show Medihoney outperforms other commonly used dressings, Wolfenson says…

Southon has one patient with a venous ulcer that did not respond to any treatment for more than four years. "I put the Medihoney on her and, without even compression, within two weeks tops it had gone down 30 per cent," she says.

Diabetic ulcers are also responding well to Medihoney, she adds.

"It's an exciting product, in that it kills a lot of these super germs that we have in the hospitals now," Southon says, adding it's a bonus to avoid antibiotics for people with multi-resistant bugs…

Canadian Report Outlines Medical Properties of Honey

Honey and Health Benefits…Can We Make a Claim?

There has been a resurgence in recent times in the use of honey, a traditional medicine, for the treatment of wounds, burns, and skin ulcers. In the past decade there have been many reports of case studies, experiments using animal models, and randomized controlled clinical trials that provide a large body of very convincing evidence for its effectiveness. New biomedical research explains how honey produces such good results.

New Canadian nutritional labeling and natural health products regulations have created new communication and marketing options that industry may use to inform consumers about the health benefits of their products. These labeling options will assist consumers to make informed decisions about natural health products and increase their confidence in the safety and efficacy of these products. This is expected to lead to long term increases in sales of products with health benefits.

Honey products could benefit from using these new labeling options to advertise their health benefit to gain entry into the marketplace and consumer acceptance. The ability to communicate the health benefit of specific types of honey may also lead to greater consumer awareness of the benefits of local Alberta products.

Upon request from The Alberta Beekeepers, with additional financial support from Alberta Crop Industry Development, Alberta Agriculture & Food has completed a critical review of the available literature on honey and health to determine if sufficient evidence exists to support the claims. This report outlines what is known about the medical properties of honey and what further research may be required before the Alberta producers can market honey with health benefit claims.

The report includes the following findings:

• 137 papers were reviewed, which included only 17 well-designed or very well designed studies on humans and only one paper on Alberta honey;
• A majority of the papers focused on honey for wound healing, followed by honey for cancer, dental health and gastric disorders;
• Overall honey appears to be considered quite safe, but specific product safety studies will be required for any new honey products;
• One very relevant reference was found in the Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China in support of using honey as a Traditional Chinese Medicine; and
• A total of 46 patents were also found in relation to honey and health.

If a company is ready to apply to Health Canada for a honey health claim, evidence is available only to support a traditional health claim. Further research is needed on Alberta clover and canola honeys, specifically in the areas of wound care products or its potential for therapeutic use in various areas of dentistry, gastric disorders, and skin conditions, before companies can apply for such marketing claims.

Copies of this report can be made available by contacting:

Alberta Beekeepers
#102, 11434 – 168th Street
Edmonton, Alberta T5M 3T9
Phone: (780) 489-6949
Fax: (780) 467-8640
Email: Gertie.Adair@AlbertaBeekeepers.org

Dried Honey Product Introduced in Canada

Island Abbey Foods Introduces the Honey Drop™ - A Honey You Can Hold

Montague, PE, Canada - January 15, 2008 - Island Abbey Foods Ltd. today introduced the world's first 100% pure, no mess, non sticky honey product: the Honey Drop™ - a honey you can hold.

The Honey Drop™ solves a common problem: liquid honey can be messy. The Honey Drop™ is an individual serving (one teaspoon / 5 g.) of 100% pure dried honey without any additives or binding agents. It is ideal for sweetening tea or coffee. Simply drop into a hot beverage and stir. You have all of the natural honey flavor without the usual honey mess…

Molan: Honey Gave Better Results Than Standard Leg Ulcer Treatment

Clarification of Statements Made About Results of the HALT Trial

13 January 2008 - Statements that have been made about the results of the HALT trial on honey carried out on honey dressings on venous leg ulcers (e.g. “Treating venous leg ulcers with honey dressings unlikely to help healing”) give the impression that the results were negative. The reality is that the results were inconclusive, not negative. Honey gave better results than the standard treatment:

* Comparing the participants in the honey-treated group with those in the usual care group there was a 5.9% absolute increase in healing achieved at 12 weeks
* The mean reduction from baseline ulcer area was 9.6% better in the honey-treated group compared with that in the usual care group
* There were 23% fewer episodes of infection in the honey-treated group compared with those in the usual care group

However, statistical analysis showed that these differences could have been due to chance so it cannot be concluded with certainty that honey gave better results. With the number of participants in the trial it would have required a 30% difference in the rate of healing to be achieved for the difference to be statistically significant. To get statistical significance with a smaller difference would have required a larger sample size (e.g. for a 10% difference 1,030 participants would be required), which would have greatly increased the costs of the trial.

Many other trials conducted on honey as a wound dressing have found larger increases in the rate of healing, but in these trials there was not a second treatment used in conjunction with the honey that would have made the wounds heal quickly anyway. The HALT trial was designed to test if honey gave improvement in the rate of healing when used along with compression bandaging for treatment of leg ulcers. (HALT = Honey as an Adjuvant in Leg ulcer Therapy.) Other clinical trials conducted on leg ulcers have shown that the dressings used make no difference: only pressure bandaging has been found to be effective. Since all participants in the HALT trial got pressure bandaging, the ulcers would in most cases be expected to heal, leaving little scope for improvement due to honey showing up as statistically significant.

Venous leg ulcers remain non-healing because of the stagnation of blood-flow. Using compression bandaging prevents this stagnation and thus removes this impediment to healing. With non-healing wounds other than venous ulcers healing cannot be achieved with pressure bandaging because the impediments to healing are different (e.g. infection of the wound, or diabetes). It is on these that honey will give rapid healing when no other treatment is working. In some cases with venous ulcers, compression does not give healing because there are other impediments to healing as well as the stagnation of the blood-flow. Case studies have shown honey to be effective on these, and on cases where pressure bandaging could not be used on venous ulcers. The participants in the HALT trial were routine cases of leg ulcers.

Although the statements published about the findings of the HALT trial give the impression that there is no proven advantage in using honey dressings on leg ulcers, this is only in respect of the healing rates achieved. An important point that has not been made is that specialist knowledge is required to choose a conventional dressing appropriate for the state of the ulcer, but honey dressings can be used on any ulcer at any stage. Use of a conventional dressing that is not appropriate for the state of the ulcer can hinder healing or cause complications, but this cannot happen when honey dressings are used.

The statements published also give the impression that treatment with honey dressings was more expensive than with usual care, and that honey dressings gave more adverse events. The reality is that the HALT trial found:

* The average costs of treatment with honey per participant were 5.8% lower in the honey-treated group with those in the usual care group if also taken into account is the cost of six participants needing to be hospitalised, for a total of 40 days, in the usual care group compared with only three participants needing to be hospitalised, for a total of 10 days, in the honey-treated group

* The only statistically difference between the two groups in adverse events was in respect of pain. But although 47 participants in the honey-treated group reported one or more episodes of pain as an adverse event (compared with 18 in the group with the usual dressings), only four participants gave pain as the rationale for withdrawing from treatment, suggesting the pain is short-lived and/or tolerable.

Peter Molan
Professor in Biological Sciences
Director of the Honey Research Unit

Honey Research Unit
The University of Waikato
Private Bag 3105
Hamilton 3240, New Zealand

Professor Peter Molan MBE
Phone +64 7 838 4325
Fascimile +64 7 838 4324
pmolan@waikato.ac.nz

Study: Propolis Helps Prevent DNA Radiation Damage

Evaluation of the Radioprotective Effects of Propolis and Flavonoids in Gamma-Irradiated Mice
Biological & Pharmaceutical Bulletin, 31(1) 167—172 (2008)

The radioprotective effects of water-soluble derivate of propolis (WSDP) collected in Croatia, and single flavonoids, caffeic acid, chrysin and naringin in the whole-body irradiated CBA mice were investigated.

Irradiation was performed using a g -ray source (60Co), and absorbed doses were 4 and 9Gy. The efficiency of test components was evaluated when given intraperitoneally (i.p.) at dose of 100mgkg1 for 3 consecutive days before and/or after irradiation. Moreover, possible genotoxic effects of all test components were assessed on non-irradiated animals. The higher efficiency of test components was observed when given preventively.

The results suggest that propolis and related flavonoids given to mice before irradiation protected mice from lethal effects of wholebody irradiation and diminish primary DNA damage in their white blood cells as detected by the alkaline comet assay.

Antihistamines Increase Repeated Reactions to Bee Venom

Do Antihistamines Make Allergies Worse?
Medicated mice react more to bee stings than non-medicated mates
Matt Kaplan, Nature News, 1/11/2008

Taking antihistamines can be a great way to fight off an allergic attack. But new research suggests it also might also make the next attack come on stronger.

Allergies are immune reactions to foreign substances that normally pose no threat to the body, from peanuts to pollen, that can set in after repeated exposure. In theory, even if someone has a genetic predisposition to react to peanuts, they should not react to the first peanut they encounter: it’s the second one that they need worry about.

Antihistamines, with their ability to disrupt the immune response that leads to annoying reactions like runny noses and swelling tissues, have long been considered the ideal way to control allergies. But their long-term effects on the immune system are unknown.

To explore this, a team led by Pål Johansen at the University of Zurich, Switzerland studied 50 mice that were initially injected with bee venom, a substance that nearly all organisms develop an allergy to upon exposure. Half of the mice were also given 100 micrograms of the antihistamine Clemastine just before they were given venom and 100 micrograms on each of the two days afterwards.

Six weeks later Johansen and his team injected the mice with another dosage of bee venom and monitored the allergic reactions. They report in Clinical and Experimental Allergy 1 that mice given antihistamines reacted more violently to the second venom injection…

Future Directions for Honey Research

By Ronald Fessenden, MD, MPH
Presented at the 1st International Symposium on Honey and Human Health, January 8, 2008, in Sacramento, Calif.

Most Promising Categories of Research:

• Restorative Sleep
• Memory & Off-line Processing
• Insulin Resistance & Blood Sugar Control
• Immune System Enhancement
• Anti-microbial Effects

Types of Research Needed:

• Human Observational Studies (short term)
• Studies investigating mechanisms of action
• Clinical trials
• Population or Epidemiological Studies*
* Expensive, confounding variables, control cohorts, accidental correlations

Examples of Human Studies:

• Sleep lab studies observing REM sleep / measuring cognitive abilities post-honey dosing vs. no pre-bedtime or other food ingestion
• Expansion of oral honey “tolerance” tests measuring effects on blood glucose, HA1c, triglycerides, HDL cholesterol, and insulin response compared to glucose, HFCS, artificial sweeteners
• Clinical trials in pre-diabetic, diabetic patients
• Mechanisms of immune system enhancement

Example of New Product:

• Honey nebulizer for prevention and inhalation treatment of tuberculosis, Valley Fever, and other antibiotic-resistant pulmonary infections
• As of January 6, 2008, provisional patents were pending in 3 countries for use of honey in a nebulizer apparatus for such use
• Clinical trials to establish efficacy and treatment protocols will be needed

Conclusions:

• The scientific and medical community should be able to deduce longer term consequences of consuming honey pending the need for population or epidemiological studies
• The potential public health benefit on metabolic diseases such as obesity, childhood obesity, insulin resistance, type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and neuro-degenerative diseases could be enormous
• Two years of focused research could have a significant impact on the health of the next generation

‘Apimedica and Apiquality 2008’ to be Held June 9-12 in Rome

Rome, 10th January 2008

Dear Colleagues,

Apimondia, the Italian Beekeepers’ Federation and the Honey Research Centre of the University of Rome “Tor Vergata” are pleased to invite you to the 2nd International Forum on Apitherapy “APIMEDICA and APIQUALITY 2008” in Villa Mondragone Congress Centre, Rome, Italy, from 9 to 12 June 2008.

The Forum aims at highlighting the health benefits of bee products by demonstrating their properties, the minimum number of bioactive compounds having a pharmacological activity, the reproducibility of their effect in the various diseases and the mechanism of action at biological level. Moreover, quality bee products should be residue-free.

In the first International Forum Apimedica 2006 several considerations were made on the relationship between apitherapy and official medicine and how they could complement each other rather than be rivals.

The “Apimedica and Apiquality” Forum falls in line with the focus that Apimondia has been pursuing in recent years and aims at the development and improvement of quality standards on apitherapy and bee products for the benefit of both beekeepers and the public at large. We also hope that you will participate in the Forum by applying your research activities on the topics of Apitherapy and Apiquality.

We would also highly appreciate it if you could inform your colleagues about the Forum with all the relevant details that are present on the websites http://www.apimedica.org/ and http://www.apiquality.info/

Yours sincerely,

The Apimedica & Apiquality 2008 Forum Organising Committee

E-Mail: apimondia@mclink.it, federapi@tin.it, canini@uniroma2.it

Honey Helps Promote Restorative Sleep

Presentations at the First International Symposium on Honey and Human Health

January 8th, 2008, Sacramento, California

Sponsored by the Committee for the Promotion of Honey and Health, Inc

The Uniqueness of Honey - - its impact on Human Metabolism and its role in Restorative Sleep
By Mike McInnis, MRPS

A model for reducing what Mr. McInnes calls the modern metabolic syndrome (chronic stress/impaired glucose disposal/impaired fat disposal) by the consumption of honey forms the basis for this presentation. Mr. McInnes introduced the dominant role of glucose metabolism in the human and establish the reverse glucose-fatty acid cycle and metabolism, then established the role of chronic cortisol driven stress in inhibiting glucose metabolism, which then inhibits fat metabolism, a critical and largely overlooked factor in the metabolic syndrome.

This presentation showed how honey improves, facilitates, (lengthens) restorative sleep by at least 3 mechanisms. When consumed before bedtime, honey:

• Insures adequate liver glycogen stores for 8 hours of sleep thus preventing or limiting early morning release of cortisol and adrenalin (stress hormones).
• Stabilizes blood sugar levels.
• Contributes to the release of melatonin, the hormone required for recovery and rebuilding of body tissues during rest.

Public Health application: Short or poor quality sleep has been associated with a whole host of diseases and conditions including childhood obesity, obesity, diabetes, CV disease, hypertension, poor memory, and other cognitive dysfunction, depression, Alzheimer’s Disease, and other neuro-degenerative diseases.

Mike McInnes is a pharmacist and a member of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society. He has written extensively in several unpublished position papers and short articles about honey and restorative sleep. He is the author of the book, The Hibernation Diet, along with his son, Stuart McInnes. The U.S. Edition of the book was published by WorldClassEmprise in March of this 2007.

New Company Claims Health Benefits of Beeswax

Delicious Candles
Andrea Leptinsky, Boston Now (USA), 1/10/2008

…A new company, Baking Candles, is introducing its product of the same name that simply needs to be warmed in a conventional oven, convection oven or crock pot. The candle comes in pumpkin crunch, apple crisp and triple chocolate cheesecake "flavors" and only needs to be reheated - no lighters needed or dripping wax to care for.

They're all the brainchild R. Jane Zachary, who created the aromatic delights while working as a professional health researcher.

"I learned about the cancer-causing chemicals released by paraffin candles and the amazing health benefits of beeswax," she says. "This inspired me to create the beeswax Baking Candle - a natural way to clean your indoor air of germs of pollutants while making your home smell delicious."...

Honey May Improve Insulin Sensitivity

United Press International, 1/8/2008

SACRAMENTO, Jan. 8 (UPI) -- Findings at the International Symposium on Honey and Human Health in Sacramento, Calif., suggest honey may help against diabetes, obesity and hypertension.

David Baer a research physiologist at the U.S. Department of Agriculture showed how insulin resistance, a sign that glucose metabolism is breaking down, is not only related to diabetes, but also to obesity, cardiovascular disease, stroke and hypertension.

"Controlling blood sugar is critically important for diabetics and maintaining good insulin sensitivity reduces the risk for diabetes in at-risk people," Baer said in a statement.

"Experimental evidence suggests that consumption of honey compared to some other sweeteners may improve blood sugar control and insulin sensitivity."…

Apitherapy Workshop in Chile January 14-18

On January 14-18, 2008, Moises Asis, author of "Apiterapia 101 Para Todos,” will lecture on Apitherapy in a theoretical/practical seminar at the Universidad Catolica de Temuco, Chile.

E-Mail: moisesasis@comcast.net

Rate of Leg Ulcer Healing Similar for Honey, Usual Care

Honey Dressings "Do Not Significantly Improve Healing"
Nursing Practice, 1/9/2008

Treating leg ulcers with honey-impregnated dressings does not seem to speed up the healing process in comparison with usual care, a study shows.

Venous leg ulcers have been treated with compression bandages for years but recently there has been renewed interest in honey as a potential healing agent…

China's Royal Jelly Products Export Value Increases in First Eleven Months

China Industry Daily News, 1/7/2008

China exported 698,198kg of fresh royal jelly in the first eleven months of 2007, down by 0.38% year-on-year, and valued at US$ 12,150,966, up by 6.44%, with the average price increasing by 6.85% to US$ 17.4/kg, according to the latest information released by the General Administration of Customs. China's fresh royal jelly powder exports were 185,605kg in the period, with export value of US$ 9,146,172, surging by 23.35% and 33.76% year-on-year respectively, with the average price rising by 8.43% to US$ 49.27/kg…

Honey Improves Carotene Retention in Fortified Milk Product

Effect of Beet and Honey on Quality Improvement and Carotene Retention in a Carrot Fortified Milk Product
Innovative Food Science & Emerging Technologies, Volume 9, Issue 1, January 2008, Pages 9-17

Abstract: The effect of beet and honey on quality attributes and carotene retention of carrot fortified milk product during storage at 30 °C were studied…

Addition of beet and honey in both proportion to the product showed synergistic role i.e. they reduced the acidity and free fatty acid formation, pH reduction and carotene degradation. However, regarding sensory evaluation, honey addition to the carrot based milk product showed better result. Equal mixture of carrot, beet and honey was best regarding antioxidant activity and retention of carotene. The study showed in overall that addition of equal mixture of beet and honey along with carrot is effective for quality improvement and carotene retention of carrot fortified milk product.

Industrial relevance: This study is of relevance because it deals with the effectiveness of natural antioxidant sources (beet and honey) in quality improvement and carotene retention of carrot fortified milk product. Fortification of carrot in milk products at higher concentration (1:1) is a new idea. In addition to that, fortification of beet and honey in carrot fortified milk product for quality improvement and carotene retention is an innovative work. The data represented in the work suggest that addition of 1:1 mixture of beet and honey along with carrot is effective for quality improvement and carotene retention of carrot fortified milk product. The use of natural antioxidant sources particularly in food is always recommended as safe and good medicines for health as well as several diseases…

Can Burt’s Bees Turn Clorox Green?

By Louise Story, NYTimes.com, 1/6/2008

In the summer of 1984, Burt Shavitz, a beekeeper in Maine, picked up Roxanne Quimby, a 33-year-old single mother down on her luck, as she hitchhiked to the post office in Dexter, Me. More than a dozen years Ms. Quimby’s senior, the guy locals called “the bee-man” sold honey in pickle jars from the back of his pickup truck. To Ms. Quimby, he seemed to be living an idyllic life in the wilderness (including making his home inside a small turkey coop).

She offered to help Mr. Shavitz tend to his beehives. The two became lovers and eventually birthed Burt’s Bees, a niche company famous for beeswax lip balm, lotions, soaps and shampoos, as well as for its homespun packaging and feel-good, eco-friendly marketing. The bearded man whose image is used to peddle the products is modeled after Mr. Shavitz.

Today, the couple’s quirky enterprise is owned by the Clorox Company, a consumer products giant best known for making bleach, which bought it for $913 million in November. Clorox plans to turn Burt’s Bees into a mainstream American brand sold in big-box stores like Wal-Mart. Along the way, Clorox executives say, they plan to learn from unusual business practices at Burt’s Bees — many centered on environmental sustainability. Clorox, the company promises, is going green…

Apitherapy to be Discussed at U.S. Beekeeping Conference

First National Beekeeping Conference This Week
Everyone Who's Anyone Gathers to Talk Bees, Honey, Etc.
By Kim Flottum, The Daily Green, 1/6/2008

I’m going to be at the First National Beekeeping Conference next week, held at the Doubletree Hotel in Sacramento, California...

Coming together at this meeting is absolutely, and I mean absolutely everybody who has anything to do with bees, beekeeping, honey, apitherapy, honey bee science, honey bee laws and regulations, growers of crops that need honey bee pollination, manufacturers and sellers of beekeeping equipment, books, supplies and related items, and of course regular beekeepers.

Starting off, there’s a one-day symposium on using honey for health with a host of international speakers attending to tell the us (and you, if you want to attend) why honey is good for you (according to them I should live to be about 250-years-old for all the honey I eat); another group will be here to discuss the health benefits of all the hive products including honey ... pollen (eat it on your cereal in the morning), propolis (a resin than bees collect, then add their own enzymes to for antimicrobial benefits in the hive) and all the things people are finding out about this magical substance (skin salves, sore throat lozenges, wound dressings, and more), and other medical properties of honey (wound dressings primarily, but other benefits too)...

Study Explains Anti-Inflammatory Activity of Propolis Component

Differential Regulation of c-jun N-Terminal Kinase and NF-kappaB Pathway by Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester in Astroglial and Monocytic Cells
Journal of Neurochemistry, Online Accepted Articles

Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE), an active component of propolis extracts, has been known for its specific inhibition of nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB) and subsequent anti-inflammatory activity.

In this study, we report that (1) CAPE exerts its anti-inflammatory action (inhibition of tumor necrosis factor-induced expression of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and CC chemokine ligand-2) via NF-kappaB inhibition by two distinct molecular mechanisms in a cell-specific manner: CAPE inhibited downstream pathways of inhibitor kappaB (IkappaB) degradation in monocytic cells, while activation of upstream IkappaB kinase was suppressed by CAPE pretreatment in astroglial cells; and (2) CAPE paradoxically activates the c-jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) pathway, which might be responsible for its pro-apoptotic action and divergent regulation of proinflammatory mediators such as CXC chemokine ligand-8.

International Heritage Site Tag Sought for Indian Bee Tree

A Tree Full of Honey
The Hindu (India), 1/4/2007

…A unique banyan tree near Nandagudi in Hoskote taluk that has the “world’s largest number of beehives” — as many as 600 — is being pegged for an International Heritage Site tag.

The Institute for Natural Resources Conservation, Education, Research and Training (INCERT) is making efforts to get this matchless tree get recognised as an International Heritage Site so as to create awareness about the importance of this bee colony.

Speaking to The Hindu, M.S. Reddy, Reader, Department of Zoology, Bangalore University, said that the banyan tree was being monitored by apiculturists for more than a decade, and their records show that there were approximately 625 bee colonies around November 2005.

A survey conducted in October 2007 revealed the number of hives in the tree to be around 575. Dr. Reddy said: “The effort to recognise this tree as an International Heritage Site will not only help horticulture prosperity, but also play a vital role in protection of the environment and maintaining the ecological balance as bees, through pollination, help increase the biodiversity.”

The banyan tree is largely surrounded by eucalyptus trees whose flowers are a major source of nectar to the bees…