New Patent: Anti-Cancer Use of Caffeic Acid and Derivatives

European Patent Office, 3/6/2008

The present invention relates to the use of caffeic acid or a derivative or a salt thereof in the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) that is resistant to treatment with Gleevec (Glivec, lmatinib or STI571) or for reducing the growth or proliferation of cells that are resistant to Gleevec.

The present invention also relates to pharmaceutical compositions (for the manufacture of the medicament) including caffeic acid or a derivative or a salt thereof represented by the general formula (1 ) for the treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) that is resistant to treatment with Gleevec or for reducing the growth or proliferation of cells that are resistant to Gleevec. The present invention further relates to a method of treatment of chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) that is resistant to treatment with Gleevec…

Video: New Bee Sting Treatment Has Patients Buzzing

The technique has been used in ancient Greece and Egypt. (CBS 2)

New Zealand Honey Poisoning Cases of Concern to Importers

Manuka Health Reassures Export Markets About Honey
Manuka Health NZ, 3/30/2008

Manuka Health reassures export markets it has no links to Coromandel honey poisonings Honey health science company Manuka Health New Zealand Ltd has moved quickly to reassure export markets in the wake of a rash of honey poisoning cases involving a Coromandel hobbyist beekeeper unconnected with the company.

Manuka Health chief executive Kerry Paul said he had reassured European distributors who had called him after seeing the poisoning story on a New Zealand media website. Markets in North America and Asia had also been advised…

Royal Jelly Adds to Antibacterial Action of Honey

Additive Action of Royal Jelly and Honey Against Staphylococcus Aureus
Journal of Medicinal Food, March 1, 2008, 11(1): 190-192

Abstract: Four varieties of honey and one variety of freshly reaped royal jelly (RJ) were used to evaluate their additive action against Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 29523).

In a first step honey and RJ were used separately to determine their minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) against the tested strain. In a second step, lower concentrations of honey than the MIC were added to lower concentrations of RJ than the MIC and then incorporated into media to determine the minimum additive inhibitory concentration.

When tested separately, the MIC of the four varieties of honey ranged between 20% and 21% (vol/vol), and that of RJ was 2% (vol/vol). When used jointly, all honey varieties had a more than 50% decrease in MIC with 1% (vol/vol) RJ. A strong linear correlation was noted between the MIC decrease of all varieties of honey and RJ.

Video: Royal Jelly a Longevity Tonic in Asia

Study Reveals Anti-Allergic Action of Bee Pollen

Inhibitory Effect of Honeybee-Collected Pollen on Mast Cell Degranulation In Vivo and In Vitro
Journal of Medicinal Food, March 1, 2008, 11(1): 14-20

ABSTRACT: Bee-collected pollen (bee pollen [BP]) has been used as a folk medicine for centuries against various diseases, including allergy. There is no study elucidating how BP exerts such an anti-allergic effect.

Since mast cells play a central role in the pathogenesis of various allergic diseases, we investigated the effect of BP on mast cell activation elicited by the Fc immunoglobulin E (IgE) receptor (FcRI)-mediated pathways…

Daily oral administration of BP to mice significantly reduced the cutaneous mast cell activation elicited by IgE and specific antigens. BP also reduced in vitro mast cell degranulation and tumor necrosis factor-α production by inhibiting IgE binding to FcRI on mast cells.

The inhibitory effect of BP on mast cell degranulation by preventing IgE binding was confirmed by the reduced levels of protein tyrosine phosphorylation, which occurred as downstream events in activated mast cells via FcRI.

These results first revealed that the anti-allergic action of BP was exerted by inhibiting the FcRI-mediated activation of mast cells, which plays important roles, not only in the early phase, but also in the late phase of allergic reactions.

Bee Pollen is a ‘Superfood’

Why All the Buzz About Bee Pollen?
Feel Good for Life

Bee pollen is an ancient superfood with numerous benefits for women’s health, including sexual health improvement…

Historically, bee pollen has been used in cultures around the world. In ancient Egypt, bee pollen was placed with the pharaohs in their tombs to nourish them in the afterlife. The Chinese have used bee pollen medicinally for thousands of years. Records of its use show up in ancient Greece as much as 2500 years ago — Hippocrates, often regarded as the ‘father of modern medicine’, prescribed bee pollen for healing. It shows up in Indian folklore as well — both North and South America…

What’s in bee pollen that makes it such a superfood?

Bee pollen is rich in vitamins — especially B vitamins. It also contains beta carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E, lycopene, selenium, and flavonoids. Then there are the trace minerals, and a rich mix of amino acids and enzymes. The basic composition of bee pollen is 55% carbohydrate (the energy-giving nutrient), 35% protein, 2% fatty acids and 3% vitamins and minerals.

Most bee pollen supplements also contain related bee pollen components — propolis, royal jelly, and globulinic acid. Each has its own healing and rejuvenating effects…

Fake Medicinal 'Green' Honey Sold in the Philippines

Palawan Mayor Says No Such Thing as Green Honey
The Philippine STAR, 3/28/2008

Puerto Princesa city mayor Edward Hagedorn warned the public against the proliferation of the so-called “green honey” supposively taken from the deep jungles of Palawan.

According to Hagedorn, the so-called “Palawan Green Honey” is being promoted and sold to cure certain types of illnesses in Metro Manila and other cities in the country.

“There is no such thing as green honey,” Hagedorn told reporters during the Usapang Daungan sa Danarra hotel in Quezon City.

Hagedorn said the green honey is actually a synthetic sugar mix with food coloring and has no medicinal or nutritional value…

See: Philippine ‘Green Honey’ Adulterated

African Women Trained to Produce Apitherapy Products

Malawi: Bee-Keeping Courses Boost Small Businesses
Commonwealth News and Information Service (UK), 3/26/2008

Mbaweme Women's Cooperative Society started as an orphanage to support children suffering from AIDS.

But with support from the Commonwealth Secretariat, the co-operative has also taken up bee-keeping and is ready to start producing candles from beeswax, which will help transform it into a self-sustaining profitable business…

This came about after 30 of its members participated in a one-month course in basic bee-keeping sponsored by the Secretariat. This was later followed by a two-week 'training of trainers' course for ten people and later a two-week course on product diversification…

During the training, it emerged that beeswax dipped candles could be produced and marketed separately as a niche product for the co-operative. All candles the group made during their training were sold easily as they were made from a high quality wax.

The women also made new products such as skin balm, polish and propolis tincture, which helps treat mouth ulcers, gum problems and sore throats...

Recipe for Beeswax Lip Balm

Cocoa Mint Lip Balm
By Natasha Singer, The New York Times, 3/27/2008

This formula for homemade lip balm is adapted from a recipe used by students in a Cosmetic Chemistry course, with adult supervision, at the Museum of Science in Boston.

1 1/2 tablespoons shea butter
1 tablespoon beeswax
1 1/2 tablespoons cocoa butter
1 drop Vitamin E
3 to 5 drops peppermint oil

1. Bring water to boil in a pan. Turn down to simmer.
2. Put shea butter, beeswax and cocoa butter in a clean Pyrex jar and
carefully set the jar in the pan of water.
3. Stir gently with a wooden stirrer until the ingredients melt. Turn
off stove.
4. Using a potholder, carefully remove jar from pan.
5. Add Vitamin E and peppermint oil. Stir well. Pour into clean containers.

Let cool and harden. Seal with a tight lid and label.

Case Study: Exposure to Bee Venom Resulted in Kidney Disorder

Acquired Fanconi Syndrome and Severe Hypophosphatemia After Exposure to Bee Venom
National Kidney Foundation (USA), 2008 Abstracts

Fanconi syndrome (FS) is a disorder of proximal renal tubular transport leading to variable expression of aminoaciduria, glycosuria, phosphaturia, and type II renal tubular acidosis. Acquired Fanconi syndrome has been reported most often in association with drugs, paraproteinemias, amyloidosis and heavy metal toxicity. We report exposure to bee venom as an additional cause of Fanconi syndrome and dangerous hypophosphatemia…

'World Apitherapy Day' Celebrates Health Benefits of Bee Products

Annual Event Marks Birth of Scientist Who Studied Medicinal Use of Bee Venom

(MIAMI, FL, 3/27/2008) – March 30, 2008, will mark the 3nd annual celebration of "World Apitherapy Day," an event designed to enhance international understanding of the therapeutic use and health benefits of bee products.

Apitherapy is the use of bee hive products such as honey, propolis, bee-collected pollen, beeswax, drone larvae extract, bee venom, and royal jelly to maintain good health and in the treatment of a variety of medical conditions.

(Propolis is a resinous substance collected by bees from plants and trees and is used to coat the inside of the beehive and the honeycomb cells with an antiseptic layer. Royal jelly is a substance produced by young worker bees and fed to queens.

March 30 was chosen for World Apitherapy Day because it is the birth date of Dr. Philipp Terc (formerly Filip Tertsch), the first scientific researcher to investigate the medical uses of 'apitoxin," or bee venom. Terc was born on March 30, 1844, in Praporiste, Bohemia (Czech Republic).

Products marking World Apitheray Day are available for purchase online. Shirts, tote bags and posters feature a 16th century woodcut of a beekeeper and "World Apitherapy Day" translated into the official languages of the United Nations, including Chinese, Spanish, Russian, French, and Arabic.

To purchase World Apitherapy Day products, go to: www.cafepress.com/apitherapy

All proceeds will go to the non-profit World Apitherapy Network. For more information about Apitherapy, go to: http://www.apitherapy.com/ or http://www.apitherapy.org/

The latest news and information about Apitherapy is available at Apitherapy News.

CONTACT: Dr. Moisés Asís, 305-349-1283, E-Mail: moisesasis@comcast.net; Dr. Stefan Stangaciu, E-Mail: drstangaciu@apitherapy.com

Short-Term Honey Consumption Aids Calcium Absorption

Acute and Chronic Effects of Honey and Its Carbohydrate Constituents on Calcium Absorption in Rats
J. Agric. Food Chem, March 25, 2008

Abstract: The effects of honey and its carbohydrate constituents (glucose, fructose, and raffinose) on calcium absorption in rats were investigated in acute and chronic feeding studies…

These results indicate that although a positive dose–response effect of honey and its carbohydrate constituents on calcium absorption was observed in the acute study, this effect disappeared upon long-term feeding in rats, implying adaptation had occurred.

Testing Sought for Royal Jelly Imports

Australia's Honey Industry Calls for Tougher Import Controls
ABC (Australia), 2/28/2008

Australia's honey industry is calling for tougher controls on imported apiary by-products.

Eduard Planken, from the Honey Bee Industry Council, says products like Royal Jelly should go through the same testing procedures as honey.

The calls come after claims that Chinese Royal Jelly products containing chloramphenicol, an antibiotic which is not allowed in food in Australia, are being imported, re-labelled and then sold overseas as Australian…

Bee Venom Component Has Trypanocidal, Antibacterial Effects

The Effects of Bee (Apis Mellifera) Venom Phospholipase A2 on Trypanosoma Brucei Brucei and Enterobacteria
Experimental Parasitology, Article in Press

Abstract: The potential role of phospholipases in trypanosomiasis was investigated using bee venom phospholipase A2 (bvPLA2) as a model…

Even very low concentrations of bvPLA2 (10−12 mg ml−1) had some trypanocidal activity. Bee venom PLA2 was bactericidal to 2 h bacterial cultures but bacteriostatic to 12 h ones. Minimum bactericidal concentrations were 10−5–10−6 mg ml−1.

The results showed that bvPLA2 had significant trypanocidal and antibacterial effects on Gram-negative bacteria. The relationship to events occurring during infection is discussed. Phospholipases may play a role in increased endotoxin levels in trypanosomiasis.

New Zealand Toxic Honey Outbreak Expected

Specialists Expected Tutin Honey Outbreak
By Martin Johnston, The New Zealand Herald, 3/26/2008

The Food Safety Authority expected an outbreak of honey poisoning after regulations controlling the trade were eased in 2001, specialists say.

The authority yesterday commissioned HortResearch to test comb honey, produced by a small-scale Whangamata apiary, which is suspected of poisoning at least nine people with potentially lethal tutin toxin.

First test results are expected in a fortnight.

The authority's senior programme manager for animal products, Jim Sim, said a number of people, in addition to the nine identified, had reported sickness after consuming the suspect honey.

A paper by HortResearch bee specialist Dr Mark Goodwin raised questions about the 2001 move towards greater self-regulation of the industry regarding the summer-autumn tutu risk…

See: Background on Toxic Honey

U.S. University Project to Identify Active Compounds in Propolis

Secrets of the Hive
Propolis Might Have Life-Saving Properties
By Sara Specht, Solutions (USA), Winter 2008

…About seven years ago, a researcher from the Ukraine working at the University of Minnesota medical school on lab trials to combat HIV came down with a cold. She, like countless people around the world, had always relied on a traditional treatment for such woes, a substance found in any honeybee hive: propolis.

Propolis, sometimes known as bee glue, is a thick, sticky resin that bees collect from tree buds and use to cement holes in the hive and defend it against invading parasites and diseases. Traditional healers from South America to China, Japan to Eastern Europe, have valued propolis as a remedy for such ailments as gum problems and dental health, skin issues and oral sores, as well as viruses and the common cold.

The researcher tracked down propolis at the Minneapolis farmers’ market and made herself a tincture to soothe her viral woes. Then she brought her cure to work with her and ran a test: propolis versus HIV. Propolis won.

Propolis demonstrated antiviral activity against HIV, prompting a study on propolis that paired the medical school with a team of researchers from CFANS. That project showed promising results, but propolis is an incredibly complex substance, and the mystery of precisely which elements are active remained unsolved. The researchers involved, though, didn’t stop considering the study’s implications.

“I started thinking, ‘wait, if propolis is so good for humans, it’s got to also be good for bees,’” explains Marla Spivak, co-principal investigator in a new two-year project to identify the active compounds in honeybee propolis…

Using propolis supplied by Spivak’s contacts from countries around the world, as well as from her own hives on the St. Paul campus, the study will identify any variations that arise from different plant sources in propolis from different locations, as well as any role the bees may have in altering its chemistry. The three professors collaborate with Lana Barkawi, a post-doctoral biochemist in Cohen’s lab, and toxicology Ph.D. student researcher Mike Wilson to create their new screening process.

The ultimate goal of the rapid assay will be to identify any new compounds—compounds that have not been identified or tested against HIV—that show anti-microbial activity, both toward bacteria and viruses using insect pathogens. Then the researchers will submit those compounds to an external service to do specific anti-HIV tests on enzymes unique to the virus…

Health Benefits of Manuka Honey Outlined

The Good Oil
By Sharon Stephenson, The New Zealand Herald, 2/24/2008

We pit fish oil and flaxseed oil, two of the richest sources (of omega-3 fatty acids), against each other and profile the health-food industry's sexiest new stars - coconut oil and manuka honey…

Manuka Honey

What is it?

Honey produced from the nectar of the white and pink flowers of the manuka, a shrub native to New Zealand and southeast Australia. Ensure the product carries the UMF trademark. And for external application, buy sterilised manuka medical honey.

What are the supposed benefits?

Dr Caroline Davy, education manager for honey specialists Comvita, says manuka honey can assist the digestive process.

Its anti-bacterial properties also mean it's a winner when it comes to external application. "Manuka honey cleans, protects and heals wounds, minor burns, cuts and scrapes by keeping the wound moist and clean," Dr Davy says. "Plus it supports the body's healing response."

What's the best way to take it?

Take two to three teaspoons half an hour before meals, ideally on an empty stomach.

If you're using it to dress wounds, ensure the medical honey is in contact with the bed of the wound.

Dressings applied to heavily oozing wounds should be changed within 24 hours, but minor cuts can usually go undisturbed for three or four days.

What's the medical opinion?

Dr Pitsilis says that manuka honey, taken internally, has been known to help with hayfever, eczema, gum disease and unbalanced gut flora...

1st World Honeydew Honey Symposium

When: August 1-3, 2008
Where: Tzarevo, Bulgaria
Sponsors: Apimondia International Honey Commission

Honeydew honey is an important honey type. Recent research has shown that it has especially high antioxidant activity. The Symposium is going to take place in Tzarevo on the Black Sea Coast in Bulgaria, near the Turkish border. It will be a part of the Annual Festival of Honeydew Honey in Tzarevo.

Contact: Stefan Bogdanov (coordinator)

French Apitherapy Association Formed

AFA: Association Francophone d'Apithérapie

Propolis Component May Help Prevent Liver Damage

NF-kappaB-Activated Tissue Transglutaminase is Involved in Ethanol-Induced Hepatic Injury and the Possible Role of Propolis in Preventing Fibrogenesis
Toxicology, 2008 Apr 18;246(2-3):148-57

The increased expression and cross-linking activity of tissue transglutaminase (tTG) have been demonstrated in acute liver injury and fibrosis. We focused on the molecular mechanisms that contribute to ethanol-induced tTG expression and investigated the efficacy of propolis components in preventing both the tTG expression in vitro and fibrogenesis in vivo…

We also found that administration of pinocembrin (PIN), one of the major components of propolis, inhibited tTG activation and significantly prevented the development of thioacetamide (TAA)-induced liver cirrhosis…

Video: Honey May Help Fight Infection

Doreen Gentzler, NBC4 (USA), 3/21/2008

Doctors at Georgetown University Hospital have found a sweet solution for treating patients with tough-to-cure skin infections.

Chinese Royal Jelly and Propolis Contaminated, Mislabeled

Sticky Trail of Deceit Stings Beekeepers
Mark Russell, The Age (Australia), 3/23/2008

Chinese honey contaminated with a potentially deadly substance is being sold overseas as "Australian-made," putting our $80 million-a-year industry — and the health of unsuspecting consumers — at risk…

Under the scam — which may have been operating for more than eight years — the contaminated honey is imported into Australia, re-labelled "Made in Australia" and exported to Asia and Europe.

Council executive director Stephen Ware said the substance, chloramphenicol, recently had been detected overseas in royal jelly labelled Australian-made…

Mr Ware said quarantine officers were unable to check every batch of Chinese honey entering the country, which meant some unscrupulous Australian health food distributors were able to import contaminated royal jelly and propolis (a resinous substance that bees collect from trees) from China and re-label the products "Made in Australia" or "Product of Australia" for export...

He said some importers were foiling labelling laws by blending a filler, mainly wheat gluten, with royal jelly in Australia…

Toxic Honey Causes Illness in New Zealand

Holidaymakers Stricken By Toxic Honey
Sunday Star Times (New Zealand), 3/23/2003

A 70-year-old Hamilton woman has become the fourth person to become ill after eating honeycomb purchased while holidaying in Whangamata.

The victim to be admitted to Waikato Hospital

Health authorities have issued a warning about comb honey sold in the Coromandel in recent days after two holidaymakers became violently ill and a child nearly died.

The toxic honey was sold at a roadside stall and it is understood it was made by a Whangamata hobbyist…

The poison honey is produced by bees feeding on a native bush known as tutu. When they gather honeydew produced by the sap-sucking vine hopper insect feeding on the plants, they can introduce the poison tutin into honey.

National Beekeepers Association CEO Jim Edwards said suspect honey should not be thrown out, as that would return the poison to the food chain…

Mexican Propolis Has Antifungal Effect

Effect of Mexican Propolis Extracts from Apis Mellifera on Candida Albicans In Vitro Growth
Rev Iberoam Micol, 2008; 25:22-26

Propolis is a resinous substance collected by bees (Apis mellifera) from different trees and bushes. Due to its antifungal, antibacterial, antiviral and antiparasitic properties, it has continued to be very popular throughout the time showing variable activity depending on its geographical origin.

In Mexico, information about this product is very limited. The aim of this work was to evaluate the antifungal activity of four propolis ethanolic extracts from three different Mexican states, and four commercial extracts on Candida albicans growth…

The propolis effect was fungistatic in low concentrations and fungicide in concentrations higher to MIC. The Mexican propolis ethanolic extract could be further investigated for its alternative use for the treatment of some C. albicans infections.

Video: Processing Raw Propolis

See: Les Ruchers D'Argonne

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Bee Pollen: The Healing Superfood for Optimum Health

By Sheryl Walters, 3/20/2008

(NaturalNews) Bee Pollen is one of the most well known superfoods on the planet. Its research began with the people of the Caucasus Mountains in the former Soviet Union. Doctors began to study them because of their optimum health and longevity. Many of them were healthily living to 125 years old. A large percentage of them were beekeepers, and it was discovered that the pollen they ate was their magic elixir.

Scientific studies have continuously revealed the incredible health enhancing benefits of bee pollen for decades.

Bee Pollen is a rich source of highly concentrated vitamins, minerals, proteins, amino acids, hormones, enzymes and fats. Most of the known vitamins in bee pollen exist in perfect proportion, so they optimally work together. This further enhances their value. This powerful superfood also contains a vast array of phytonutrients, many of which have yet to be identified.

Its nutritional diversity makes Bee Pollen an ideal dietary supplement and boost to a balanced diet…

Global Warming Impacts Nectar Collection, Honey

Global Warming Rushes Timing of Spring
By Seth Borenstein, Associated Press, 3/20/2008

…You can even taste it in the honey. Bees, which sample many plants, are producing their peak amount of honey weeks earlier. The nectar is coming from different plants now, which means noticeably different honey — at least in Highland, Md., where Wayne Esaias has been monitoring honey production since 1992. Instead of the rich, red, earthy tulip poplar honey that used to be prevalent, bees are producing lighter, fruitier black locust honey. Esaias, a NASA oceanographer as well as beekeeper, says global warming is a factor…

Indian University to Study Medicinal Stingless Bee Honey

TN Agri Varsity to Take Up Research on Sting-Less Bees
Business Line (India), 3/20/2008

The Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) will take up exclusive research on sting-less bees as part of the department of biotechnology’s network project.

The project will specifically involve the TNAU undertaking study on bio-ecology of stingless bees and evolving improved meliponicultural (honey yield) techniques. The research project will bring out life secrets of stingless bees and document floral resources that provide nectar, pollen and resin for their sustenance.

According to the TNAU Director of Research, Dr B, Chandrasekharan, the project is intended to evolve techniques for multiplying and managing these bee colonies for obtaining twin benefits of medicinal honey and crop pollination for the end-users…

See: Antibacterial Activity of Stingless Bee Honey Rivals that of Manuka

See: Comparison of the antimicrobial activity of honey produced by Tetragonisca angustula (Meliponinae) and Apis mellifera from different phytogeographic regions of Costa Rica

Raw Honey: Exploring the Benefits of This Ancient Superfood

By Judith Fine-Sarchielli, Natural News, 3/18/2008

…Each day, I scoop raw honey from the jar and savor the taste and health benefits of history's oldest agricultural product that has existed for millions of years. The ancient Egyptians farmed honey 3,000 years ago, and considered bees the symbol of sacred femininity. They also used honey for healing wounds and as a preservative, due to its antibacterial properties. Commercial honey, which is heated and pasteurized, has fewer benefits…

Raw, unprocessed honey is a superfood that provides antioxidants, minerals, vitamins, amino acids, enzymes, carbohydrates, and phytonutrients. According to the National Honey Board (NHB), (http://www.honey.com) , 82 percent of households currently use processed honey, which has been heated and pasteurized, and can contain botulism and High Fructose Corn Syrup, (HFCS). Processed honey is not as antibacterial, as raw honey, and is dangerous for diabetics and infants under 12 months old.

May Berenbaum, Ph.D., a University of Illinois entomologist, shares that "Honey has been used for centuries to treat a wide range of medical problems like wounds, burns, cataracts, skin ulcers and scrapes," Various researchers worldwide are finding strong antimicrobial properties in some honeys. Raw honey is used by many cultures as a remedy for ulcers, digestion, bronchitis, and as an energizer, as well as many other answers to health problems. Recently, the Australian Therapeutic Goods Administration, the equivalent of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, approved Manuka Tree honey as a medicine…

Honey: An Effective Cough Remedy?

MayoClinic.com, 3/18/2008

Q. Is it true that honey calms coughs better than cough medicine does?

A. Drinking honey mixed with tea or warm lemon water is a time-honored way to soothe a sore throat. Now researchers are studying honey as a cough suppressant. In a 2007 study, children ages 2 and older with upper respiratory tract infections were given up to 2 teaspoons (10 milliliters) of honey at bedtime. The honey seemed to reduce nighttime coughing and improve sleep. In fact, in the study, honey appeared to be as effective as the cough suppressant dextromethorphan in typical over-the-counter doses…

Apitherapy Conference to be Held in Bangladesh

On March 30, 2008, the Bangladesh Apicultural Association (BBA) will host a conference, called “Apitherapy for Good Health,” at the National Press Club in Dhaka. In addition to this first-of-its-kind conference, a honey fair with an apiculture and apitherapy exhibition will be held for five days with the support of the Bangladesh Institute of Apiculture.

Contact: Md. Khairul Basher, E-Mail: bia@bdmail.net, Land Phone: 880-2-9111585, Cell Phone: 88-01715 218 741

Video: Bee Venom Therapy Used to Treat ALS, PLS, MS, Arthritis

In France, bee venom therapy is being used to reduce the development of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), primary lateral sclerosis (PLS), multiple sclerosis (MS), and arthritis.

Video Link

'Tongue Drops' Cut Bee Sting Allergy

Placing Venom Under the Tongue May Offer Alternative to Allergy Shots
By Charlene Laino, WebMD Medical News, 3/18/2008

(Philadelphia) -- Taking allergy drops instead of enduring painful shots may someday become an option for people who are allergic to honeybee stings.

In a preliminary study, Italian researchers found that putting honeybee venom under the tongue was safe and significantly reduced reactions in people allergic to bee stings.

Immunotherapy using the ubiquitous allergy shot is the standard treatment for allergies to everything from insect stings to dust mites. Tiny amounts of the allergens are injected into the patient until tolerance develops.

The new study involved a different form of immunotherapy, called sublingual immunotherapy. It involves putting extracts of allergens under the tongue. Like the shots, sublingual immunotherapy reduces allergic sensitivity in many patients over time…

The new study, presented here at the annual meeting of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunotherapy (AAAAI), is the first attempt to determine if sublingual immunotherapy is effective against honeybee sting allergies…

The Health Benefits of Royal Jelly

The Buzz On Royal Jelly
Queen Bee Food for You
By Sarah Wassner Flynn, SheKnows

Nope, royal jelly not some regal spread you slap together with peanut butter for a quick-fix snack. Rather, royal jelly is a creamy substance produced by young nurse worker bees to feed the Queen Bee in a hive. And just as it services her Majesty, this bee-vital substance can provide a healthy bonus to humans, too. Here is why you should make the Queen Bee’s food part of your diet.

Honey is not the only good stuff you can get out of a beehive. Royal jelly, the substance that keeps the Queen Bee thriving, can give your body just as much of a healthy buzz. Secreted from the head of a worker bee, the milky liquid is fed to both young larvae for the first three days of their lives and to the Queen Bee, who receives a daily dosage throughout her life. Containing a plethora of proteins, minerals, and vitamins, it is no surprise that the Queen’s five-year lifespan vastly outnumbers that of her minions, who merely live for 40 days...

What are the Health Benefits of Royal Jelly?

In the health field, the buzz on royal jelly is purely positive. Subscribers say the boost of vitamins and nutrients works wonders on everything from bronchial asthma to bad skin (in fact, the popular Burts Bees line of skincare products offers soaps and creams specially blended with royal jelly). Plus, its high amino acid content benefits the body’s ability to fight infection and disease. In addition, many cancer patients who have recently undergone radiation and chemotherapy take royal jelly supplements to boost their immune systems and rebuild destroyed cells...

Propolis Component Helps Neurons Grow

Artepillin C Derived from Propolis Induces Neurite Outgrowth in PC12m3 Cells via ERK and p38 MAPK Pathways
Journal Neurochemical Research, March 13, 2008

Abstract: We investigated whether artepillin C, a major component of Brazilian propolis, acts as a neurotrophic-like factor in rat PC12m3 cells, in which nerve growth factor (NGF)-induced neurite outgrowth is impaired…

These findings suggest that artepillin C-induced activation of p38 MAPK through the ERK signaling pathway is responsible for the neurite outgrowth of PC12m3 cells.

Deaths by Africanized Bee Attacks Associated with Anaphylaxis or Angioedema

Are Killer Bees Killers? A Case Series of Massive Africanized Bee Envenomation
Journal of Medical Toxicology, Volume 4, Number 1, March 2008

Background: “Killer bees” (Africanized honey bees) have been established in the southern US for over 17 years. The incidence of multiple bee stings has been on the rise. The patients at the extremes of age have been proposed to be at highest risk of organ failure and death.

Case Reports: Here we describe three cases of massive bee envenomation, two of which were in geriatric patients. All patients were documented to have over 100 stings, with the highest one being a case of an 83 year old envenomated by over 400 Africanized honey bees (AB). All patients seemed to do well with supportive medical care, and were discharged from the hospital after 3­6 days of observation. The two geriatric patients were given epinephrine in the field and both had an increase in their Troponin I levels. It was not clear if this rise in Troponin I was an effect of epinephrine itself or a direct effect of the bee venom. Both geriatric patients were observed the longest in their Troponin I, and were released without any sequelae. Except for cases of anaphylaxis, we believe that these three cases show that supportive care is sufficient for patients with massive bee envenomation (over 100 stings).

Discussion: Bee venom contains melittin, phospholipase A, histamine, degranulating peptides, and hyaluronidase. The LD50 for AB is similar to the LD50 reported for the European honey bee. It is the defensive nature of AB that results in a greater number of stings, and consequently a greater venom load potentially resulting in failure of various organ systems…

Propolis Exhibits Antiradical, Antioxidant Effect

Antioxidant Effect of Propolis Against Exposure to Propetamphos in Rats
Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, Article in Press

Abstract: In the present study, each group comprised six animals, and a total of 30 female. Wistar Albino rats weighing 200–250 g were used. The first group served as the control group. Group 2 received propolis at a concentration of 100 mg/kg bw/day in drinking water. Groups 3 and 4 were administered propetamphos at doses of 7.5 and 15.0 mg/kg bw/day, respectively, in drinking water. Group 5 was treated with propetamphos at a dose of 15.0 mg/kg bw/day, in association with 100 mg/kg bw/day propolis in drinking water. Treatment was continued for 28 days, and at the end of this period, blood and tissue (liver, kidney and brain) samples were collected. Plasma and tissue MDA levels and erythrocyte and tissue SOD, CAT, and GSH-Px activities were measured.

In conclusion, the administration of propolis was concluded to exhibit antiradical and antioxidant effect, and thereby to result in the alleviation of oxidative stress.

Honey Has Nutrients, But in Tiny Proportions

By Karen Collins, The North County Times (USA), 3/15/2008

Q: Is it true that honey contains more nutrients than white sugar?

A: Just because a food contains vitamins or other nutrients does not mean that it provides enough of them to benefit your health. Although honey provides small amounts of a variety of vitamins and minerals (for example, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, B vitamins), nutrient analysis reveals that one tablespoon offers less than 1 percent of the Recommended Dietary Allowance for each of them.

Some studies now suggest that honey may contain natural phytochemicals that can increase antioxidant activity in the blood. Yet these studies rely upon nearly a dozen teaspoons of honey daily to see an effect, adding a whopping 230 calories per day to the subjects' diets. In contrast, fruits and vegetables provide significant antioxidant effects while supplying just 25 to 50 calories per serving. Further research is needed to determine if antioxidant benefits can be obtained from smaller amounts of honey.

Honey Used for Medicinal Purposes for Thousands of Years

Magic Manuka...the Honey Healer That's Being Sent in to Fight Hospital Superbugs
The Daily Mail (UK) 3/15/2008

Honey has been used for medicinal purposes for thousands of years.

The Ancient Egyptians and Greeks treated sores with it and soldiers in the Second World War wrapped bandages in it to heal their wounds.

Today, honey can be found in wound dressings, creams, lozenges, tablets and in a jar.

Manuka honey, made from the flowers of the manuka bush (Leptospermum scoparium) found only in New Zealand, contains ingredients that scientists believe boost its antibacterial properties.

It has been licensed for use in NHS hospitals, after Christie Hospital in Manchester trialled the use of honey under dressings on postoperative wounds, to fight the MRSA superbug in mouth and throat cancer patients in 2004.

All honey contains hydrogen peroxide, a disinfectant once used to clean wounds in hospitals. It is produced from the glucose oxidase enzyme that bees add to nectar,� says Professor Peter Molan, at the Honey Research Unit of the University of Waikato, New Zealand.

But a unique active chemical compound, methylglyoxal, gives manuka more antibacterial activity than other honeys…

• For fabulous manuka products see www.mailonsunday.co.uk/honey

Beeswax Used as Natural Hair Remover

Discover Worldly Beauty
Easier Lifestyle, 2/27/2008

Women all over the world have used natural remedies for thousands of years to help them look beautiful and keep them feeling young. With modern transport now meaning you can travel the Globe in just a matter of days, foreign beauty secrets are being discovered and shared around the world…

South America – Bees Wax

The women of the Mexican state of Zacatecas use bees wax found in the forests around where they live as a natural hair remover. Better than any wax that men in white coats have developed it is a great natural way to help remove hairs, exfoliate the skin and leave it feeling soft and moisturised.

When bees make their hives they coat them with a substance called propolis which has antiseptic and antimicrobial properties due to containing active compounds called flavonoids. These properties of the propolis are passed onto the wax and so enhance its efficiency as a hair remover by adding protective properties which are important for newly exposed skin…

Honey Helps Treat Radiation Mucositis

The Effect of Topical Application of Pure Honey on Radiation-Induced Mucositis: A Randomized Clinical Trial
J Contemp Dent Pract, 2008 Mar 1;9(3):40-7

Aim: Radiation-induced mucositis is an early effect of head and neck radiotherapy. Mucositis can cause ulcers, and patients may experience pain and dysphasia which need treatment. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of pure natural honey on radiation induced mucositis.

Methods and Materials: In this randomized single blind (examiner blind) clinical trial 40 patients with head and neck cancer requiring radiation to the oropharyngeal mucosa were randomly assigned to two groups. Twenty patients assigned to the study group received honey, while both the study and control groups received standard head and neck radiation therapy based on a standard protocol. In the study group patients were instructed to take 20 ml of honey 15 minutes before radiation therapy, then again at intervals of 15 minutes and six hours after radiation. In the control group patients were instructed to rinse with 20 ml of saline before and after radiation. Patients were evaluated weekly for progression of mucositis using the Oral Mucositis Assessing Scale (OMAS). Data were analyzed using the independent t-test, Mann-Whitney, and Friedman tests.

Results: A significant reduction in mucositis among honey-received patients compared with controls (p=0.000) occurred.

Conclusion: Within the limits of this study the results showed the application of natural honey is effective in managing radiation induced mucositis.

Clinical Significance: Natural honey is a product with rich nutritional qualities that could be a pleasant, simple, and economic modality for the management of radiation mucositis.

The Secrets of Royal Jelly

Uncovering the Secrets of Nature's Most Magical Substance
By Brandon Keim, Wired, 3/14/2008

Few substances in nature are more magical than royal jelly, a protein confection secreted by worker bees and eaten by bee larvae.

For the first several days of their lives, all larvae eat royal jelly; after that, most move on to nectar and pollen. They grow up to be sterile and short-lived workers, toiling tirelessly for the colony's greater good before dying after a few seasons. But a few lucky larvae stay on an all-jelly diet: they grow up to be queens, laying eggs and living for years.

What's so special about royal jelly? Scientists aren't sure -- but in a study published yesterday in Science, Australian National University biologists suggest that it's an epigenetic agent, activating genes in just the right combination for turning a would-be worker into a queen…

Bee Sting Relieves Arthritis Pain

News Journal (USA), 3/13/2008

Q: After a bee or wasp stung me, my arthritis pain went away for about six weeks. Does anyone in this area treat arthritis with bee or wasp venom?

A: Answer Line cannot locate businesses for readers, but we did look into the use of bee venom in treating arthritis. One of the ingredients in bee venom is melittin, an anti-inflammatory substance that shows promise in treating rheumatoid arthritis. Studies found that melittin significantly reduced swelling, inflammation and bone spur formation…

Video: Demonstration of Bee Venom Therapy

Video Link

Watch Leah and Alan Lorenzo, traveling bee venom therapist (www.BeeWellTherapy.com) and you’ll discover how the beneficial sting of a honeybee, and her hive products, can relieve and even heal various spinal, neural or muscular-skeletal ailments. Honeybee venom has provided natural healing to mankind for over 2000 years in ways that traditional medicine cannot. Watch Leah actually sting Alan with a live honeybee for tendinitis in his elbow, and see how easy bee venom therapy can be for affordable healthcare at home.

Manuka Honey Association Seeks to Protect Medicinal Brand

Comvita Assures Customers of UMF® Quality
Scoop Independent News, 3/14/2008

Comvita strongly supports recent action taken by the Active Manuka Honey Association (AMHA) to protect the UMF® (Unique Manuka Factor) brand and customers around the globe who use UMF® honey products.

This follows the announcement that a search warrant has been executed by police as part of an investigation into the alleged fraudulent activity by a senior employee of a honey company licensed to sell UMF® (Unique Manuka Factor™) honey and honey products…

Bee Products Popular in Slovenia

Buzz on Slovenia Honey
By Jennifer Dorroh, The Wall Street Journal, 3/14/2008

In Slovenia, where one in every 250 residents keeps bees, the hills are alive with the buzz of honey making. On a hot summer afternoon at a sidewalk café here, it is often a bee, rather than a fly, that alights on the rim of your coffee cup or beer glass.

The indigenous Carniolan gray bee thrives amid the diverse vegetation, pristine Alpine environment and forests that cover 60% of the country. The result is a mouthwatering variety of artisanal honeys, including fir, spruce, sweet chestnut, lime, maple and wild cherry -- plus honey liqueurs and wines, and even beehive art -- available everywhere from the stalls of Ljubljana's Central Market to typical grocery stores and gift shops, as well as from the beekeepers themselves…

Honey Recommended for Cuts, Wounds and Burns

Soothe Sores with a Little Bit of Honey
By Greta Burroughs, The Sun News (USA), 3/13/2008

Honey not only tastes good, but it is good for you. The medicinal value of honey and other natural products has been known for thousands of years but was put aside after the introduction of antibiotics earlier this century.

Today, it seems the healing power of raw honey is being rediscovered. Most people know that honey helps with allergies and sore throats, but are not aware that it can also be used as a protective agent on cuts, wounds and burns.

"Bee pollen helps protect against colds and flu in the wintertime and it helps to build the immune system," said Dr. Carolyn Haigler of Alternative Health and Wellness in Myrtle Beach. "I tell my patients to use honey in tea for sore throats. It takes the tickle away and soothes throat pain."

Haigler also knows the history of honey being used on wounds.

"During the Civil War, honey and cayenne pepper were used to heal wounds," she said. "The red pepper stopped the bleeding, and the honey prevented bacteria from getting in the wounds…

Raw Honey First-Aid Kit

Bee stings Dab on a bit of honey immediately to help draw out the stinger, ease pain and neutralize poisons.

Sunburns Combine 1 cup apple cider vinegar, ¼ cup honey and ½ cup aloe vera gel and gently apply to sunburn.

Wounds Apply a thin layer of raw honey to any cut, scrape or scratch and keep covered to prevent infection and speed healing.

Royal Jelly Kick-Starts DNA Methylation in Bees

Biotech News (Australia), 3/13/2008

New Australian National University research may explain why eating royal jelly destines honeybee larvae to become queens instead of workers.

Scientists from the Research School of Biological Sciences at ANU have discovered that a copious diet of royal jelly flicks a genetic switch in young bees that determines whether they'll become a queen, or live a life of drudgery.

Their findings are published in the latest edition of Science...

Apitherapy Conferences to be Held in U.S., Italy, Germany

Events Promote Health and Medicinal Uses of Bee Hive Products

(March 13, 2008) ­ Upcoming conferences in the United States, Italy and Germany will focus on “Apitherapy,” the medicinal use of bee hive products such as honey, propolis, royal jelly, bee-collected pollen, beeswax, and bee venom.

(Propolis is a resinous substance collected by bees from plants and trees and is used to coat the inside of the bee hive and the honeycomb cells with an antiseptic layer. Royal jelly is a substance produced by young worker bees and fed to queens.)

In Germany, the 6th German Apitherapy and Apipuncture Congress will be held in Passau from March 27th to April 1st. The main focus of the conference will be “Healing with Honey and Other Bee Products.”

The Charles Mraz Apitherapy Course & Conference (CMACC) will be held April 4th to 6th in Seattle, Wash. This conference includes an apitherapy course for beginners and advanced practitioners focusing on the therapeutic use of products of the hive.

In Italy, the 2nd International Forum on Apitherapy, “APIMEDICA and APIQUALITY 2008,” will be held in Rome from June 9th to 12th.

Apitherapy has been used for thousands of years to treat a variety of medical conditions and has recently gained popularity worldwide as ongoing research points to its effectiveness. Bee hive products are particularly useful in the developing world because their low cost and wide availability.

Propolis Component May Help Treat Bronchial Asthma

Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester Attenuates Allergic Airway Inflammation and Hyperresponsiveness in Murine Model of Ovalbumin-Induced Asthma
Life Sciences, Volume 82, Issues 13-14, 26 March 2008, Pages 797-805

Abstract: Caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) is a biologically active ingredient of propolis, which has several interesting biological properties, including antioxidant and anti-inflammatory; however, its anti-allergic effects are poorly understood.

The objective of this study was to determine whether treatment with CAPE results in significant inhibition of asthmatic reactions in a mouse model.

Mice sensitized and challenged with ovalbumin (OVA) had the following typical asthmatic reactions: an increase in the number of eosinophils in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid; a marked influx of inflammatory cells into the lung around blood vessels and airways, and airway luminal narrowing; the development of airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR); the presence of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) and Th2 cytokines, including IL-4 and IL-5, in the BAL fluid; and the presence of allergen-specific IgE in the serum.

Five successive intraperitoneal administrations of CAPE before the last airway OVA challenge resulted in significant inhibition of characteristic asthmatic reactions. We determined that increased generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) by inhalation of OVA was diminished via the administration of CAPE in BAL fluid, as well as nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) DNA binding activity.

These findings indicate that oxidative stress may have a crucial function in the pathogenesis of bronchial asthma, and that CAPE may be useful as an adjuvant therapy for the treatment of bronchial asthma.

UK Beekeeper Uses Honey to Heal Wounds of Rwandan Genocide

Honey to Heal Wound
Western Daily Mail (UK), 3/11/2008

Beekeeper Mark White is flying to Rwanda to help survivors of genocide rebuild their lives - with honey.Mr White, of Gillingham, will help a group of widows running a honey production project to increase their technical knowledge, and so generate £20,000 over the next two years…

Propolis Component Helps Prevent Brain Injury

Caffeic Acid Phenethyl Ester Protects Rabbit Brains Against Permanent Focal Ischemia by Antioxidant Action: A Biochemical and Planimetric Study
Brain Research, Article in Press

Abstract: The present study was conducted to investigate whether caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE), an active component of propolis extract, has a protective effect on brain injury after focal permanent cerebral ischemia, and to determine the possible antioxidant mechanisms…

The results showed that treatment with CAPE significantly reduced the percentage of infarction in the ipsilateral hemisphere compared with the ischemia group. CAPE treatment significantly attenuated the elevation of plasma MDA, CAT and XO content (p < 0.05), whereas it significantly increased the levels of plasma GSH and NO (p < 0.05). Therefore, subacute CAPE administration plays a protective role in focal pMCAO due to attenuation of lipid peroxidation and its antioxidant activity.

All of these findings suggest that CAPE provides neuroprotection against cerebral ischemia injury through its antioxidant action.

Video: Protex Propolis Commerial from Thailand

Honey Has Antimicrobial Activity Against New Type of MRSA

Antibacterial Activity of Honey Against Community-Associated Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (CA-MRSA)
Complementary Therapies in Clinical Practice, 4 March 2008

Summary: Community-associated methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) has now been described globally, as a clinically significant pathogen, particularly associated with skin and soft tissue infections, including abscesses, cellulitis and furunculosis.

The recent emergence of CA-MRSA combined with its predominant presentation associated with skin and soft tissue infection, the previous literature indicating honey as an effective treatment of healthcare-associated HA-MRSA-related wound infection, as well as honey's ease of topical application, make the current study timely and of interest to healthcare practitioners involved with wound management. Although previous studies have examined the antimicrobial activity of honey against HA-MRSA, such data are limited regarding the activity of honey against this emerging type of MRSA.

CA-MRSA (n=6 isolates), was examined for its susceptibility to natural honey (n=3 honey produced from bees in Northern Ireland and one commercial French honey). Results demonstrated that all honey was able to reduce the cultural count of all CA-MRSA from approximately 106 colony-forming units (cfus) (mean=6.46 log10 cfu/g) to none detectable within 24 h of co-culture of separate CA-MRSA organisms individually with all four-honey types examined. Subsequent non-selective enrichment of honey demonstrated that inoculated honey remained positive for CA-MRSA until 72 h postinoculation, after which point no culturable organisms could be detected.

This study demonstrated that, in vitro, these natural products had an antimicrobial activity against the CA-MRSA organisms tested. Further studies are now required to demonstrate if this antimicrobial activity has any clinical application.

Medicinal Honey Now Available in United Arab Emirates

United Arab Emirates to Benefit from the Magic of Manuka Honey
Active Manuka Honey More Effective than Antibiotics
Dubai City Guide (United Arab Emirates), 3/10/2008

The world is harnessing the healing powers of honey from the Manuka Bush (Leptospermum scoparium) which grows uncultivated throughout New Zealand. Spirits Bay Manuka Honey, now available in Dubai through distributor SevenStone, is known to possess incredible healing properties due to its antibacterial activity with exceptional results treating diabetic ulcers, psoriasis, sexually transmitted diseases, wounds and the symptoms of the common cold, among others…

Is Honey a Cureall or Is It Hype?

Peta Bee, The Sunday Times (UK), 3/9/2008

A t £42 for a 120g jar, the world’s most expensive honey recently went on sale in Harrods. Life Mel has a list of purported health benefits as long as your arm – the scientists who created it claim the usual nutritional advantages associated with honey are maximised because the bees that produce it gather pollen from herbs such as Siberian ginseng, echinacea and Uncaria tomentosa that boost the immune system. They say that 2 tsp of Life Mel honey a day, on an empty stomach, sucked slowly, will supply a shot of antioxidants that leave you better able to fight illness and disease.

Life Mel has already established a reputation as something of a miracle nectar: a study published in the respected Medical Oncology journal last year showed that 12 out of 30 cancer patients given the honey after chemotherapy did not experience the usual plummeting white blood-cell count; other patients reported improvements in their quality of life. However, even the researchers, at Sieff hospital in Israel, where the honey is produced, and Oldchurch Hospital in Romford, Essex, admit the sample was small, and that the proven benefits are slight.

But haven’t we heard it all before? Is honey really a cureall, or is this just a load of hype? Trials conducted at the honey research centre at Waikato University, New Zealand, look more promising. The director of the centre, Professor Peter Molan, has focused his investigations on another super-honey, manuka, which is produced by bees that collect pollen from the manuka bush, which grows wild in New Zealand.

According to Molan, all types of honey contain hydrogen peroxide – once used in hospitals as a disinfectant for wounds because of its antibacterial properties – which is produced from an enzyme, glucose oxidase, which the bees add to nectar. Manuka honey appears to contain other beneficial ingredients, yet to be identified, which help it to fight bacteria. Molan has found that eating 3 tsp manuka honey a day can help fight throat infections and reduce gum disease, as well as maintain good digestive health. He has also shown that, when eaten regularly, manuka also aids memory and reduces feelings of anxiety...

Study: Propolis 'May be Useful During Stress'

Green Brazilian Propolis Action on Macrophages and Lymphoid Organs of Chronically Stressed Mice
Evid Based Complement Alternat Med, 2008 Mar;5(1):71-5

Stress is a generic term that summarizes how psychosocial and environmental factors influence physical and mental well-being. The interaction between stress and immunity has been widely investigated, involving the neuroendocrine system and several organs. Assays using natural products in stress models deserve further investigation.

Propolis immunomodulatory action has been mentioned and it has been the subject of scientific investigation in our laboratory. The aim of this study was to evaluate if and how propolis activated macrophages in BALB/c mice submitted to immobilization stress, as well as the histopathological analysis of the thymus, bone marrow, spleen and adrenal glands.

Stressed mice showed a higher hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) generation by peritoneal macrophages, and propolis treatment potentiated H(2)O(2) generation and inhibited nitric oxide (NO) production by these cells. Histopathological analysis showed no alterations in the thymus, bone marrow and adrenal glands, but increased germinal centers in the spleen.

Propolis treatment counteracted the alterations found in the spleen of stressed mice. New research is being carried out in order to elucidate propolis immunomodulatory action during stress.

Discussion: “Our data showed that propolis potentiated H2O2 generation by stressed mice. Moreover, morphological alterations in the spleen of stressed mice were not seen when mice were treated with propolis, suggesting that this bee product may be useful during stress. Since propolis shows several biological properties (26–28) and it is used as an alternative medicine for health amelioration and disease prevention, new research is being carried out in our laboratory in order to investigate propolis action on cytokine production during stress.”

Presentations on Honey and Wound Healing to be Offered at U.S. Conference

Derma Sciences Announces Numerous Clinical Presentations on MEDIHONEY(TM) Wound & Burn Dressings at Upcoming SAWC Conference

Evidence Base for MEDIHONEY(TM) Dressings Continues To Grow

PRINCETON, N.J., March 6 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Derma Sciences, Inc. (OTC Bulletin Board: DSCI - News), a provider of advanced wound care products, announced today that seven abstracts detailing the clinical usage of its newly released MEDIHONEY Wound & Burn Dressings with Active Leptospermum Honey were accepted for presentation at the upcoming annual Symposium on Advanced Wound Care conference, held this year between April 24 - 27 in San Diego, CA…

The abstracts include the following:

"The Importance of Medical Grade Honey Rather than Table Honey in the Treatment of Wounds"; Cooper RA, Jenkins L, Rowlands R. (oral presentation)

"The Inhibition of Biofilms of Pseudomonas Aeruginosa with Manuka Honey"; Cooper RA, Jenkins L, Rowlands R. (oral presentation)

"Manuka Honey Alginate Wound Dressing Facilitates Healing Of Chronic Diabetic Lower Extremity Ulcerations"; Robert Frykberg, DPM, MPH, Arthur Tallis, DPM, Cherese Thomas-Ramoutar, DPM, Edward Tierney, DPM.

"Comparison of Honey-Impregnated Calcium Alginate Dressings to Non-Impregnated Calcium Alginate Dressings on Wound Healing"; Catherine T. Milne, APRN, MSN, CWOCN; Connecticut Clinical Nursing Associates, LLC, Bristol Hospital Wound, Ostomy, Lymphedema Center, Bristol, CT.

"It Looks Like Honey. It Smells Like Honey. Yes, It Is Honey!"; Becky Strilko, RN, BSN, CWOCN, APN, Christine Barkauskas, RN, BA, CWOCN, APN, Andrea Mcintosh, RN, BSN, CWOCN, APN, Noreen Reaney, RN, BSN, Wound Ostomy and Continence Student, Provena Saint Joseph Medical Center, Joliet, IL.

"The Influence of Catalase on the Antibacterial Activity of Honey"; Cooper RA, Jenkins L, Rowlands R.

"The Effects of a Leptospermum Honey Dressing on Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA) Biofilms Using a Well Established Porcine Wound Infection model"; Stephen C. Davis, Yan Rivas, Joel Gil, Roberto Perez, Jose Valdes, Robert Kirsner, Department of Dermatology and Cutaneous Surgery, University of Miami School of Medicine, Miami, Florida…

Bee Pollen Beats Vitamin Pills

Bee Pollen - A Budget Friendly Food for Health and Healing

By Barbara L. Minton, NaturalNews.com, 3/6/2008

(NaturalNews) Bee pollen is often referred to as nature's most complete food. Pollen harvested from a diverse selection of geographic areas contains all the essential components of life in a good tasting, chewable, easily digested, and highly bio-available form that can be consumed by anyone from young children to the very old.

All the nutritive and rejuvenating elements contained in expensive, whole food vitamin pills can be found in bee pollen. But since these elements are crafted into the most super of superfoods by nature, they have the added benefits of perfect synergy. Pollen also offers healing, with interesting research studies documenting its medicinal effects…

One-Third of Chinese Bee Products Not Up to Standard

Shenzhen's Honey Product Qualification Rate At 66%
China Industry Daily News, 3/6/2008

(Mar. 6, 2008)- The inspection on Shenzhen City's honey products included 100 batches of products from 75 producers in 22 provinces and cities. More specifically, it involved 80 batches of honey, 12 batches of bee pollen and 8 batches of royal jelly, with the overall qualification rate at 66%...

Of the total 80 batches of honey, only 48 batches were up to the standards, accounting for 60%, while 10 of the total 12 batches of bee pollen met the required standards, with the qualification rate hitting 83.3%, and eight batches of royal jelly were fully qualified.

Australian Jarrah Wound Healing Honey Crop Wiped Out by Drought

Jarrah Honey Crisis as Yield Wiped Out
By Stephanie Painter, The West Australian, 3/6/2008

WA beekeepers are struggling after more than 98 per cent of their jarrah honey yield was wiped out this season by drought.

Jarrah honey, a leading variety found only in WA, accounts for about 15 per cent of the State’s total honey production. It is known worldwide for its healing properties and low level of glucose…

Eduard Planken, chief executive of WA beekeeper-owned Wescobee Ltd, blamed the drought for the “total and absolute failure” of the jarrah honey crop. “We promote it in international markets for wound healing — now there’s no crop,” he said. “We have to start again. There’s nothing we can do, it’s just nature working.”…

Apitherapy Popular in Russia

Health Food in Moscow: Honey
By Sonia Kishkovsky, International Herald Tribune, 3/5/2008

After a month and a half of battling a cold/flu that keeps coming back this winter, I decided it was high time to give folk remedies a try. Loads of garlic did the trick when I suffered a similar bout several years ago, but I kept putting that cure off this time and finally went for something, well, less smelly.

Oh, and sweeter, a lot sweeter: Honey, of course. Honey to a Russian is like wine to a Frenchman: endlessly diverse and healthful as well. So here’s a guide…

Russians are quick to point out how many illnesses can be treated with honey. At the House of Honey and at honey fairs, honeys are marked not only with a price, but also with a list of illnesses alleviated by the sort. For example, acacia honey helps fix everything from diabetes to eye illnesses. Lipa take is good for everything from the heart to burns and eczema (when applied locally for the latter), while Chichkan treats everything from prostate to gynecological problems. It is good for colds. (Honey should not be added to tea. It loses its curative qualities when heated.)…

Honey’s Immunomodulatory Effect Explained by Endotoxin Content

Immunomodulatory Effects of Honey Cannot be Distinguished from Endotoxin

Cytokine, 2008 Feb 28

In recent years, the use of honey has re-emerged as a remedy for wound treatment. Effects of honey have been related to the presence of an unidentified component that induces release of inflammatory cytokines from monocytic cells. The present study was intended to further characterize the reported in vitro effects of honey.

Our results show that natural honeys induce interleukin-6 release from Mono Mac 6 cells as well as release of reactive oxygen species from all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) differentiated HL-60 cells. The natural honeys contained substantial amounts of endotoxin, and the responses observed in the cell based assays were similar to the responses induced by endotoxin alone.

In addition, we determined that the immunomodulatory component present in the natural honeys was retained in the ultra filtrated fraction with a molecular weight greater than 20kDa. The component was resistant to boiling and its immunomodulatory activity could be abrogated by the addition of polymyxin B.

We speculate that the observed in vitro immunomodulatory effects of honey might solely be explained by the endotoxin content in the natural honeys.

Propolis Promotes Healing Following Colon Surgery

Effect of Propolis on Healing in Experimental Colon Anastomosis in Rats
Advances in Therapy, Published online: 28 February 2008

Introduction: Propolis is the generic name for the resinous substance collected by honeybees, which is known to have antioxidant, antiinflammatory, apoptosis-inducible effects. Anastomotic dehiscence after colorectal surgery is an important cause of morbidity and mortality. We aimed to assess the effect of propolis on healing in an experimental colon anastomosis in rats.

Methods: Forty adult male Wistar albino rats were randomly assigned into 5 treatment groups with 8 rats in each: Group I, anastomosis+no treatment; Group II, anastomosis+oral propolis (600 mg/kg/d); Group III, anastomosis+oral ethyl alcohol (1 cc/d); Group IV, anastomosis+rectal propolis (600 mg/kg/d); Group V, anastomosis+rectal ethyl alcohol (1 cc/d). The bursting pressures, hydroxiproline levels and histopathological changes in each group were measured.

Results: When bursting pressures were compared between groups, we observed that they were increased in the groups treated with propolis in contrast to all other groups. Hydroxiproline levels in the propolis groups were also significantly increased in contrast to the other groups. There was also a statistically significant difference in histopathological changes between the treatment types. When propolis administration methods were compared, we did not observe a statistically significant difference.

Conclusion: Propolis has a significantly favourable effect on healing in experimental colon anastomosis, independent from the method of administration.

Video: Neonicotinoids Blamed for Colony Collapse Disorder

This video theorizes that neonicotinoids may be responsible for colony collapse disorder (CCD).

Honey and Diabetes Go Together Safely: DUHS Expert

By Irfan Aligi, Daily Times (Pakistan), 2/3/2008

KARACHI: Pure honey, especially from the wild, is a blessing for ailing diabetics and can be used without any harm as it has multifactor anti-bacterial, haemostatic and nutritious properties, explained Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) Prosthodentics Department Head and Dental Care for Physicians Programme Director Prof. Dr Muhammad Amin.

According to Prof Amin, it was just a misconception and old wives’ tale that such patients should avoid using pure and natural honey. In fact, pure honey is used to maintain oral hygiene and various inflammatory problems of the teeth and gums such as gingivitis periodontitis, plaque and caries, he said, adding that in many cases it yields far better results than some antibiotics.

“In my clinical practice, the use of pure honey for ulcerative conditions of the buccal [mouth cavity] membranes, tongue and gums has yielded extraordinary results especially when other case-related medicines have failed to heal the wound,” he said.

Open ulcers are better healed with honey when applied locally instead of medicated gel, ointments or creams. In one case of Hepatic Cirrhosis, the ulcer of the mouth and tongue were completely healed with honey, while selective therapy did nothing good for the case.

Associate Prof Dr Rana Qamar Masood, the director of the Sarwar Zuberi Liver Centre and National Institute of Liver and Gastrointestinal Diseases, told Daily Times that although the use of honey is not recommended medically it has been clinically established that it works for different problems. In the case of viral hepatitis-C, the use of honey is not usually discussed but because of the nutrition it offers, it could be used as an energizer. The sick or even the healthy can take one teaspoon of honey with lukewarm water for an instant source of energy.

Ear, Nose and Throat specialist Dr Qaisar Sajjad said that there were no restrictions on the use of honey but as far as he knew its use as a medicine has not yet been documented. However, clinical experiences are different as compared to scientifically conducted studies. Honey might be used as an instant source of energy because it contains natural sweetening agents.

However, in an article published in Journal of Medicinal Food (Sep2007, Vol. 10 Issue 3, p473-478), titled, ‘Subjects with Impaired Glucose Tolerance Exhibit a High Degree of Tolerance to Honey’ the findings of a study were discussed. The experts studied the relative tolerance to honey and glucose of people with impaired glucose tolerance or mild diabetes…

They concluded that from the investigation that honey may prove to be a valuable sugar substitute for subjects with impaired glucose tolerance or mild diabetes…

Video: Bee Venom Therapy Used to Treat Foot Warts

Honey: Can it Speed Wound Healing?

MayoClinic.com, 2/29/2008

Q. Is it true that applying honey to a wound may speed healing?

A. Yes. Some evidence suggests that applying honey to minor cuts and scrapes may hasten healing.

When applied to a wound, honey provides a thick, protective barrier, which shields the wound from outside contaminants. Honey may also help disinfect the wound due to a chemical interaction between a specific enzyme in honey and damaged skin tissue that produces a form of hydrogen peroxide. In addition, honey has been shown to reduce inflammation and swelling. In March 2007, the Food and Drug Administration approved a honey-impregnated wound-dressing product for wound and burn care.

However, it's important to note that the specialized honey used in wound products and in research studies is different from honey available to consumers. Also, the honey used in research studies has been treated to remove contaminants. It's not clear at this time whether ordinary supermarket honey has the same wound-healing effect.