Bee Venom May Help Airway Inflammation and Immunologic Diseases

Bee Venom at Different Concentrations Modulates the Aeroallergen-Induced Activation of Nasal Polyp Epithelial Cells

Pharmacology, 2012 Nov 15;91(1-2):39-47

Bee venom (BV) has long been used as an oriental traditional medicine for the control of pain and inflammation. However, BV's anti-inflammatory mechanisms remain unclear.

This study aimed to clarify the potential clinical efficacy of BV concerning the anti-inflammatory effect on nasal epithelial cell inflammation. Nasal polyp epithelial cells were obtained from patients. Cells were exposed to Alternaria alternata, Aspergillus nigra, Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus, Dermatophagoides farina and lipopolysaccharide with or without various concentrations of BV. Interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8, and granulocyte macrophage colony-stimulating factor were measured to determine the activation of epithelial cells. Nuclear factor-ĸB (NF-ĸB) and activator protein 1 expression and activity were determined with Western blot analysis and ELISA. Cytotoxicity of BV was measured using a CellTiter-96® aqueous cell proliferation assay kit.

Cell survival was significantly decreased at BV concentrations exceeding 5 µg/ml. Fungi-induced cytokine production was more effectively inhibited by BV than house dust mite. Alternaria enhanced NF-ĸB expression, which was strongly inhibited by BV.

BV appears to be relatively safe, and is of potential value for the treatment of airway inflammation and/or immunologic diseases.

Apimedica: Using Bee Products to Reduce Iron and Calcium Deficiencies -蜂产品用于减轻铁和钙缺乏症

Apimondia Apimedica-Apiquality International Forum
Oct. 22-25, 2012
Zhenjiang, China

Hossein Yeganehrad 1, Hassan Rahimi 2, Zainab Motallbbi 2, Abbas Mirabzadeh1, Shohreh Seyedmirza 3

(1. Caspian Apiaries, New Westminster, BC, Canada; 2. www.wellnessplus.ca; 3. Masters Degree Of Nursing Management, The Effect of Comprehensive Nursing Care Program on Quality of Life in Pre-school Children with Hemophilia )

Iron and calcium deficiencies are common problems for the majority of the population, worldwide. This is especially true for women who have recently given birth. Consuming direct iron and calcium supplements are associated with a few problems: many consumers have experienced pain while taking iron supplements, and pure calcium is difficult for the body to absorb. The advantage of using bee products to attain these nutrients is that honey is completely absorbable by our digestive system. There is no leftover residue that cannot be absorbed. By adding calcium and iron into honey, which is then fed to and processed by the bees, it can be directly absorbed efficiently, therefore helping to maintain a good metabolism and proper health. Bees provide the advantage here, as they integrate the supplements into the honey in such a way that allows us to absorb the added nutrients much easier.

In this presentation we will discuss the result of producing fruit honey, vegetable honey, vitamin honey, mineral honey and calcium honey. All the ingredients used here are designed to help with common nutrient deficiencies. We will also discuss the method of production in colonies, to ensure the majority of what is fed to the bees will be stored as honey, which can then be extracted. There are two problems that have arisen when producing these types of honey: first, the colonies can use this extra food to supplement their brood, and store less of the desired nutrients in the honey. The second problem is that certain ingredients, especially fruit, are not easy for the bees to digest in large amounts. However a technique has been created to help the bees consume more of these difficult ingredients, without negatively affecting the hive.

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Corresponding author, E-mail：caspianapiaries@gmail.com; bardia_1082@yahoo.com

蜂产品用于减轻铁和钙缺乏症

铁和钙缺乏症是世界性的常见问题，刚生育的妇女尤为严重。直接摄入铁和钙有一些问题：许多消费 者在食用过程中会伴有疼痛，而纯的钙难以被人体吸收。食用蜂产品来达到补充这些营养的优势在于蜂蜜 能被我们的消化系统完全吸收，没有无法吸收的残留物。通过在蜂蜜中添加钙和铁元素，然后饲喂给蜜蜂，它可以有效地被吸收，因此能帮助维持良好的新陈代谢和适度的健康。蜜蜂的优点就在于它们能够将这些 添加物转入其中，使我们能简便地吸收这些营养物质。在这项报告中，我们会讨论生产果蜜、蔬菜蜜、维 生素蜜、矿物质蜜和钙蜜的结果。所有使用的物质都是为了帮助常见的营养缺乏症。我们也会讨论蜂群内 生产的方法，以确保大部分喂给蜜蜂的蜂蜜用于保存，这些保存的蜂蜜可用于提取。在生产这些类型的蜂 蜜过程中，有两大问题：首先，蜂群会用这些外添的食物来供给幼虫，而将小部分我们需要的营养成分储 存到蜜蜂中。第二个问题是一些特殊的物质，特别是果蜜，蜜蜂无法大量消化。然而，帮助蜜蜂消化更多

难以消化的成分的技术已经开发，不会对蜂群造成不良影响。

Antibacterial Medical Honeys Should Be Monitored for Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids

Detection and Quantification of Pyrrolizidine Alkaloids in Antibacterial Medical Honeys

Planta Med, 2012 Nov 16

In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in antibacterial honey for wound care ranging from minor abrasions and burns to leg ulcers and surgical wounds. On the other hand, several recent studies demonstrated that honey for human consumption was contaminated with natural occurring, plant derived pyrrolizidine alkaloids.

1,2-Unsaturated pyrrolizidine alkaloids are a group of secondary plant metabolites that show developmental, hepato-, and geno-toxicity as well as carcinogenic effects in animal models and in in vitro test systems. Hence, it was of particular interest to analyze the pyrrolizidine alkaloid content of medical honeys intended for wound care.

19 different medical honey samples and/or batches were analyzed by applying a recently established pyrrolizidine alkaloid sum parameter method. 1,2-Unsaturated pyrrolizidine alkaloids were converted into the common necin backbone structures and were analyzed and quantified by GC-MS in the selected ion monitoring mode.

All but one medical honey analyzed were pyrrolizidine alkaloid positive. The results ranged from 10.6 µg retronecine equivalents per kg to 494.5 µg retronecine equivalents/kg medical honey. The average pyrrolizidine alkaloid content of all positive samples was 83.6 µg retronecine equivalents/kg medical honey (average of all samples was 79.3 µg retronecine equivalents/kg medical honey). The limit of detection was 2.0 µg retronecine equivalents/kg medical honey, while the limit of quantification was 6.0 µg retronecine equivalents/kg medical honey (S/N > 7/1).

Based on the data presented here and considering the fact that medical honeys can be applied to open wounds, it seems reasonable to discuss the monitoring of 1,2-unsaturated pyrrolizidine alkaloids in honey intended for wound treatment.

Solomon Islands Propolis Exhibits Potent Antibacterial Activity

Solophenols B–D and Solomonin: New Prenylated Polyphenols Isolated from Propolis Collected from The Solomon Islands and Their Antibacterial Activity

J. Agric. Food Chem, Publication Date (Web): October 15, 2012

Three new prenylated flavonoids, namely, solophenols B (1), C (2), and D (3), as well as a new prenylated stilbene, solomonin (4), were isolated from propolis collected from the Solomon Islands. In addition, 17 known compounds were identified. The structures of the new compounds were determined by a combination of methods, including mass spectrometry and NMR. These new compounds and several known compounds were tested for antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Most of them exhibited potent antibacterial activity. These findings may indicate that propolis from the Solomon Islands has potential applications as an ingredient in food additives or pharmaceuticals.

Apimedica: Bee Venom Preparation Cures 93% of Shingles Cases (Video) - 神蜂精对中老年不同期带状疱疹的临床研究缪晓青

Apimondia Apimedica-Apiquality International Forum

Oct. 22-25, 2012
Zhenjiang, China

VIDEO: Application of Shen Fengjing Using Traditional Ox Horn Scraper

Therapeutic Effect of “Shen Fengjing” (a preparation of bee venom) on Herpes Zoster at Different Stages in Middle-Aged and Elderly People 

MIAO Xiao-qing, WU Zhen-hong, DAI Jin-yu, YANG Wen-chao, MIAO Jing

(The Apitherapy Institute of Fujian Agri. and Forestry University; Apitherapy Hospital of Fujian; State and Local Joint Engineering Laboratory of Natural Biotoxi , Fuzhou 350002, China)

【Objective】To study the therapeutic effect of “Shen Fengjing” (a preparation of bee venom) on herpes zoster at different stages in middle-aged and elderly people, and to discuss its clinical therapeutic mechanism. 
【Methods】Herpes zoster at different stages, containing early stage (0 - 2 days), intermediate stage (2 - 10 days) and later stage (10 days later), which was treated with “Shen Fengjing” through scraping. The therapeutic effect was observed and its clinical therapeutic mechanism was discussed according to related pathological and pharmacological researches. 
【Results】The cure rate for sufferers at early stage was 98.9% after treating with“Shen Fengjing” for 1 day. The swelling and pain were disappeared and no sequela existed. The cure rate for sufferers at intermediate stage was 76.9%, the constracting of herpes was slow (3 - 30 d), and the pain was distinctly relieved. The odynolysis rate for sufferers at later stage was 86.9%. The pain of nerve ending primitively disappeared after scraping with “Shen Fengjing” for 10 days. 
【Conclusions】“Shen Fengjing” could cure herpes zoster at different stages in middle-aged and elderly people effectively, and the total effective rate reached 93.9%. The pathology analysis suggested that the therapeutic mechanism could be resulted from the anti-inflammatory and analgesic effects of “Shen Fengjing” and the effect of melittin, which could inhibit herper virus from adsorbing and damaging cell tissue of human body. Besides, “Shen Fengjing” could also activate blood circulation to dissipate blood stasis, and carry away the collective metabolites and toxins, so that the nerve root pain and edema were accordingly eliminated. 

神蜂精对中老年不同期带状疱疹的临床研究缪晓青

，吴珍红，戴景育，杨文超，缪 婧

(福建农林大学蜂学学院，福建蜂疗医院，天然生物毒素国家地方联合工程实验室，福州 350002，中国)

【目的】研究观察“神蜂精*”治疗中老年不同期带状疱疹的临床效果，并探讨其临床治疗机理。

【方 法】通过神蜂精外擦与刮疗分别对中老年人带状疱疹发病早期（发病2 d 内）、中期（2～10 d）与后期（10 d 后）进行临床疗效实验观察；引用相关病理药理研究成果进行分析推理。【结果】显示早期病症给药后1 d 内临床治愈优良率为98.9%，红肿疼痛快速消失，且没有后遗症；中期优良率为76.9%，疱疹收缩较慢（3～30 d）,疼痛能明显减轻；后期止痛率为86.9%，“神蜂精”刮疗给药10d 神经末梢疼痛基本消失。

【结论】经 统计分析总有效率达93.9%的满意疗效。通过病理分析认为其治疗机理可能是由于“神蜂精”的消炎镇痛以 及其中的melittin 具有强大的可抑制带状疱疹病毒对人体细胞组织吸附与破坏作用，同时，“神蜂精”还具 有较强的活血化瘀作用，可促进局部血液循环，带走聚集的代谢产物与毒素，从而消除带状疱疹病毒所侵 蚀的神经根水肿疼痛。

关键词：蜜蜂毒制品；刮疗；带状疱

Potential Role of Honey in Leukemia Chemoprevention, Chemotherapy

A Review of Molecular Mechanisms of the Anti-Leukemic Effects of Phenolic Compounds in Honey
Int. J. Mol. Sci, 2012, 13(11), 15054-15073

Abstract: Hematologic malignancies constitute about 9% of all new cases of cancers as reported via the GLOBOCAN series by International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) in 2008. So far, the conventional therapeutic and surgical approaches to cancer therapy have not been able to curtail the rising incidence of cancers, including hematological malignancies, worldwide.

The last decade has witnessed great research interest in biological activities of phenolic compounds that include anticancer, anti-oxidation and anti-inflammation, among other things. A large number of anticancer agents combat cancer through cell cycle arrest, induction of apoptosis and differentiation, as well as through inhibition of cell growth and proliferation, or a combination of two or more of these mechanisms. Various phenolic compounds from different sources have been reported to be promising anticancer agents by acting through one of these mechanisms.

Honey, which has a long history of human consumption both for medicinal and nutritional uses, contains a variety of phenolic compounds such as flavonoids, phenolic acids, coumarins and tannins.

This paper presents a review on the molecular mechanisms of the anti-leukemic activity of various phenolic compounds on cell cycle, cell growth and proliferation and apoptosis, and it advocates that more studies should be conducted to determine the potential role of honey in both chemoprevention and chemotherapy in leukemia.