Kanuka Honey is an Effective Treatment for Rosacea

Randomised controlled trial of topical kanuka honey for the treatment of rosacea

BMJ Open. 2015 Jun 24;5(6):e007651

OBJECTIVE:

To investigate the efficacy of topical 90% medical-grade kanuka honey and 10% glycerine (Honevo) as a treatment for rosacea.

DESIGN:

Randomised controlled trial with blinded assessment of primary outcome variable.

SETTING:

Outpatient primary healthcare population from 5 New Zealand sites.

PARTICIPANTS:

138 adults aged ≥16, with a diagnosis of rosacea, and a baseline blinded Investigator Global Assessment of Rosacea Severity Score (IGA-RSS) of ≥2. 69 participants were randomised to each treatment arm. 1 participant was excluded from the Honevo group, and 7 and 15 participants withdrew from the Honevo and control groups, respectively.

INTERVENTIONS:

Participants were randomly allocated 1:1 to Honevo or control cream (Cetomacrogol), applied twice daily for 8 weeks.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES:

The primary outcome measure was the proportion of participants who had a ≥2 improvement in the 7-point IGA-RSS at week 8 compared to baseline. Secondary outcomes included change in IGA-RSS and subject-rated visual analogue score of change in severity (VAS-CS) on a 100 mm scale (0 mm 'much worse', 100 mm 'much improved') at weeks 2 and 8.

RESULTS:

24/68 (34.3%) in the Honevo group and 12/69 (17.4%) in the control group had a ≥2 improvement in IGA-RSS at week 8 compared to baseline (relative risk 2.03; 95% CI 1.11 to 3.72, p = 0.020). The change in IGA-RSS for Honevo compared to control at week 2 minus baseline was -1 (Hodges-Lehman estimate, 95% CI -1 to 0, p=0.03), and at week 8 minus baseline was -1 (Hodges-Lehman estimate, 95% CI -1 to 0, p = 0.005). The VAS-CS at week 2 was 9.1 (95% CI 3.5 to 14.7), p = 0.002, and at week 8 was 12.3 (95% CI 5.7 to 18.9)¸ p < 0.001 for Honevo compared to control.

CONCLUSIONS:

Honevo is an effective treatment for rosacea.

Royal Jelly Has Potential to Manage Chronic Human Diseases Like Hyperglycemia (Type 2 Diabetes), Hypertension, and Breast and Skin Cancers

Probiotics in Milk as Functional Food: Characterization and Nutraceutical Properties of Extracted Phenolics and Peptides from Fermented Skimmed Milk Inoculated with Royal Jelly

Journal of Food Safety
Early View (Online Version of Record published before inclusion in an issue)

This study evaluated the biological properties of milk fermented with Lactobacillus acidophilus with and without several amounts of royal jelly including: total viable count, pH, titratable acidity, antioxidant activity and inhibitory activities of angiotensin 1-converting enzyme (ACE), α-amylase, and growth of colorectal (SW480) and skin (MV3) cancer cell lines. The bound phenolic extract after acid hydrolysis had better biological properties. The antioxidant activities increased after 4 h of fermentation time in skimmed milk fortified with royal jelly. Contents of aromatic compounds decreased along fermentation time in skimmed milk with royal jelly. The in vitro inhibitory activities against skin and colorectal cancer growth of fermented skimmed milk were not dependent on fermentation time and concentration of royal jelly. Results revealed the accumulation of hydrolytic bioactive peptides with inhibitory activity of ACE at 24 h.

Practical Applications

Inoculated skimmed milk with different ratios of royal jelly has potential application to manage chronic human diseases including hyperglycemia (type 2 diabetes), hypertension, and breast and skin cancers.

Brazilian Propolis May Help Prevent Cognitive Dysfunction

Ethanol extract of Brazilian propolis ameliorates cognitive dysfunction and suppressed protein aggregations caused by hyperhomocysteinemia

Biosci Biotechnol Biochem. 2015 Jun 19:1-6. [Epub ahead of print]

Homocysteine (Hcy) has been proposed to be a risk factor for cognitive dysfunction. We investigated the effects and the underlying mechanisms of action of propolis, which has antioxidant activity on Hcy-induced oxidative stress in vitro and in vivo.

For the in vitro assays, neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y and glioblastoma U-251MG cells were cultured with Hcy and various concentrations of propolis. Cell death and reactive oxygen species production were significantly suppressed by propolis in dose-dependent manner, compared with Hcy alone. For the in vivo assays, mice were fed a propolis-containing diet and Hcy thiolactone in water. Cognitive function was evaluated using the Morris water maze test. Propolis suppressed cognitive dysfunction caused by hyperhomocysteinemia.

Accumulation of aggregated protein in brain was accelerated in hyperhomocysteinemia, and the accumulation was suppressed by propolis. Hyperhomocysteinemia, however, did not enhance the oxidative stress in brain. In vitro amyloid formation assay showed that Hcy accelerated lysozyme aggregation and propolis inhibited the aggregation.

Oral feeding of homocysteine thiolactone caused the cognitive dysfunction in mice. Brazilian Propolis ameliorated the cognitive dysfunction and suppressed the protein aggregation in hippocampus.

Antioxidant and Antibacterial Activities of Egyptian Bee Pollen and Propolis Extracts

Phenolic Extract from Propolis and Bee Pollen: Composition, Antioxidant and Antibacterial Activities

Journal of Food Biochemistry

Early View (Online Version of Record published before inclusion in an issue)

Bee products (e.g., propolis and bee pollen) are traditional healthy foods. In this study, antioxidant properties and in vitro antibacterial activity of honeybee pollen and propolis methanol extracts were determined. Propolis with higher phenolic content showed significant greater activity over pollen extracts. Caffeic acid, ferulic acid, rutin, and p-coumaric acid were detected as main phenolic compounds in propolis extract. 3,4-Dimethoxycinnamic acid was the major phenolic component in pollen extract. Propolis extract (5 μg/mL) exhibited 28% antiradical action against 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radicals. The scavenging activity of propolis and pollen extracts against 2,2′-Azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6 sulfonic acid) (ABTS) reached a maximum of 94.3 and 76.5%, respectively, at an extract concentration of 25 μg/mL. Stabilization factor of propolis extract was 13.7, while it was 6 for pollen. Results revealed that both extracts showed highly antibacterial action against gram-positive bacteria with a minimal inhibitory concentration ranging from 0.2 to 0.78 mg/mL. To best of our knowledge, this is the first study showing elevated antibacterial activity against gram-negative bacteria Salmonella enterica.

Practical Applications

Besides their potential pharmaceutical use, propolis and pollen could be efficient protective agents for use as natural antioxidant and antibacterial additives in food systems. It has been observed that the biological activities of propolis and pollen depend on their chemical composition, which, in turn, depends on geographical diversity and the genetic variety of the queens. On the basis of the present study, propolis extract showed higher antioxidant and antibacterial activities compared with the pollen extract. This may be due to its higher amounts in caffeic, ferulic and p-coumaric acids. To our knowledge, this is the first report comparing the antioxidant and antibacterial activities of Egyptian bee pollen and propolis extracts and their chemical constituents.

Bee Venom May Help Prevent Memory Loss in Alzheimer's Disease

Bee venom ameliorates lipopolysaccharide-induced memory loss by preventing NF-kappaB pathway

Journal of Neuroinflammation 2015, 12:124

Accumulation of beta-amyloid and neuroinflammation trigger Alzheimer's disease. We previously found that lipopolysaccharide (LPS) caused neuroinflammation with concomitant accumulation of beta-amyloid peptides leading to memory loss.

A variety of anti-inflammatory compounds inhibiting nuclear factor kappaB (NF-κB) activation have showed efficacy to hinder neuroinflammation and amyloidogenesis. We also found that bee venom (BV) inhibits NF-κB.

Methods: A mouse model of LPS-induced memory loss used administration of BV (0.8 and 1.6 μg/kg/day, i.p.) to ICR mice for 7 days before injection of LPS (2.5 mg/kg/day, i.p.).

Memory loss was assessed using a Morris water maze test and passive avoidance test. For in vitro study, we treated BV (0.5, 1, and 2 μg/mL) to astrocytes and microglial BV-2 cells with LPS (1 μg/mL).

Results: We found that BV inhibited LPS-induced memory loss determined by behavioral tests as well as cell death.

BV also inhibited LPS-induced increases in the level of beta-amyloid (Aβ), β-and γ-secretases activities, NF-κB and its DNA-binding activity and expression of APP, and BACE1 and neuroinflammation proteins (COX-2, iNOS, GFAP and IBA-1) in the brain and cultured cells. In addition, pull-down assay and molecular modeling showed that BV binds to NF-κB.

Conclusions: BV attenuates LPS-induced amyloidogenesis, neuroinflammation, and therefore memory loss via inhibiting NF-κB signaling pathway.

Thus, BV could be useful for treatment of Alzheimer's disease.

Propolis: A Complex Natural Product with a Plethora of Biological Activities That Can Be Explored for Drug Development

Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2015;2015:206439

The health industry has always used natural products as a rich, promising, and alternative source of drugs that are used in the health system. Propolis, a natural resinous product known for centuries, is a complex product obtained by honey bees from substances collected from parts of different plants, buds, and exudates in different geographic areas. Propolis has been attracting scientific attention since it has many biological and pharmacological properties, which are related to its chemical composition.

Several in vitro and in vivo studies have been performed to characterize and understand the diverse bioactivities of propolis and its isolated compounds, as well as to evaluate and validate its potential. Yet, there is a lack of information concerning clinical effectiveness. The goal of this review is to discuss the potential of propolis for the development of new drugs by presenting published data concerning the chemical composition and the biological properties of this natural compound from different geographic origins.

Safe Concentrations for Use of Red Propolis

Antimicrobial and cytotoxic activity of red propolis: an alert as to its safe use

J Appl Microbiol. 2015 Jun 18

AIMS: Red propolis is a resinous product popularly consumed in Brazil since it improves health and it is considered a nutraceutical. The objective of this study was to test the antimicrobial activity of eight samples of red propolis from Brazil and Cuba in order to assess the possibility of application of this natural product as an antimicrobial agent, along with a study of its cytotoxic activity against non-tumor cell lines to evaluate at which concentrations it could be safely used.

METHODS AND RESULTS: The chemical profile of the samples was evaluated by UHPLC-MS. All the samples presented activity against all the bacteria tested using agar diffusion and serial dilution in broth and displaying a better activity for most Gram negative bacteria with MIC in the range between 6.25 μg.mL-1 to 500 μg.mL-1 . However our studies also revealed an inherent cytotoxic effect against HaCaT human keratinocytes and BALBc 3T3.

CONCLUSIONS: In order to have a non-cytotoxic and safe use of red propolis, it is necessary to use a concentration below the IC50 cytotoxic values.

SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF STUDY: The traditional use of propolis does not necessarily guarantee its safety. The evaluation of the safety of bioactive natural products should always be considered together with the evaluation of the activity

Vitex Honey May Help Prevent Liver Damage

Antioxidant and hepatoprotective activity of vitex honey against paracetamol induced liver damage in mice

Food Funct. 2015 Jun 18

Fourteen vitex honeys from China were investigated to evaluate its antioxidant and hepatoprotective activity against paracetamol-induced liver damage. All honey samples exhibited high total phenolic content (344-520 mg GAE per kg), total flavonoid content (19-31 mg Rutin per kg), and strong antioxidant activity in DPPH radical scavenging, ferric reducing antioxidant power and Ferrous ion-chelating ability.

Nine phenolic acids were detected in vitex honey samples, in which caffeic acid was the main compound. Honey from Heibei Zanhuang (S2) ranked the highest antioxidant activity was orally administered to mice (5 g kg-1, 20 g kg-1) for 70 days.

In high-dose (20 g kg-1), vitex honey pretreatment resulting in significant increase in serum oxygen radical absorbance capacity (15.07%) and decrease in Cu2+-mediate lipoprotein oxidation (80.07%), and suppression in alanine aminotransferase (75.79%) and aspartate aminotransferase (74.52%), enhancement in the superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activities and reduction in malondialdehyde (36.15%) and 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (19.6%) formation compared with paracetamol-intoxicated group.

The results demonstrated the hepatoprotection of vitex honey against paracetamol-induced liver damage might attribute to its antioxidant and/or perhaps pro-oxidative property.

Honey Promotes Healing Over Bare Bone

Topical Honey for Scalp Defects: An Alternative to Surgical Scalp Reconstruction

Plast Reconstr Surg Glob Open. 2015 Jun 5;3(5):e393

This case report discusses the use of medical-grade honey as solitary treatment for a large scalp defect due to surgical excision of necrotizing fasciitis. Honey promoted granulation and epithelialization over bare bone, which has been previously undocumented in the literature.

We discuss the proposed mechanisms of honey as a wound-healing agent and the evidence for its use, and we propose that honey may be considered a therapeutic option for scalp wounds-especially in patients who are poor surgical candidates.

Bee Venom May Help Treat Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia (BPH)

Bee venom suppresses testosterone-induced benign prostatic hyperplasia by regulating the inflammatory response and apoptosis

Exp Biol Med (Maywood). 2015 Jun 17

Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), which is a common disorder in aging men, involves inflammation that is associated with an imbalance between cell proliferation and cell death. Because current BPH drug treatments have undesirable side effects, the development of well-tolerated and effective alternative medicines to treat BPH is of interest. Bee venom (BV) has been used in traditional medicine to treat conditions, such as arthritis and rheumatism, and pain. Although inflammation has been associated with BPH and BV has strong anti-inflammatory effects, the effects of BV on BPH are not fully understood. Therefore, in this study, we evaluated the efficacy of BV against testosterone-induced BPH in rats.

BV decreased prostate weight compared to the untreated group. In addition, BV suppressed serum dihydrotestosterone concentration levels and the levels of proliferating cell nuclear antigen in the histological analysis. Furthermore, BV significantly decreased the levels of the apoptotic suppressors, Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL, and increased the levels of the proapoptotic factors, Bax and caspase-3 activation. These results suggested that BV suppressed the development of BPH and has good potential as a treatment for BPH.

Royal Jelly May Be Alternative Treatment for Antibiotic-Resistant Infections

The Lyophilization Process Maintains the Chemical and Biological Characteristics of Royal Jelly

Evid Based Complement Alternat Med. 2015;2015:825068

The alternative use of natural products, like royal jelly (RJ), may be an important tool for the treatment of infections caused by antibiotic-resistant bacteria. RJ presents a large number of bioactive substances, including antimicrobial compounds.

In this study, we carried out the chemical characterization of fresh and lyophilized RJ and investigated their antibacterial effects with the purpose of evaluating if the lyophilization process maintains the chemical and antibacterial properties of RJ. Furthermore, we evaluated the antibacterial efficacy of the main fatty acid found in RJ, the 10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid (10H2DA).

Chromatographic profile of the RJ samples showed similar fingerprints and the presence of 10H2DA in both samples. Furthermore, fresh and lyophilized RJ were effective against all bacteria evaluated; that is, the lyophilization process maintains the antibacterial activity of RJ and the chemical field of 10H2DA. The fatty acid 10H2DA exhibited a good antibacterial activity against Streptococcus pneumoniae.

Therefore, it may be used as an alternative and complementary treatment for infections caused by antibiotic-resistant S. pneumoniae.

Oak, Chestnut and Heather Honeys Show Highest Anti-Inflammatory Properties

Honey shows potent inhibitory activity against the bovine testes hyaluronidase

J Enzyme Inhib Med Chem. 2015 Jun 15:1-4

The purpose of this study was to investigate the anti-hyaluronidase activities of honeys from different botanical origins honeys in order to determine their anti-inflammatory properties.

The total phenolic contents, total flavonoids and total tannin levels of six types of honey, chestnut, oak, heather, pine, buckwheat and mixed blossom, were determined. Concentration-related inhibition values were tested turbidimetrically on bovine testis hyaluronidase (BTHase) as IC50 (mg/mL).

All honeys exhibited various concentration-dependent degrees of inhibition against BTHase.

Inhibition values varied significantly depending on honeys' levels of phenolic contents, flavonoid and tannin. The honeys with the highest anti-hyaluronidase activity were oak, chestnut and heather.

In conclusion, polyphenol-rich honeys have high anti-hyaluronidase activity, and these honeys have high protective and complementary potential against hyaluronidase-induced anti-inflammatory failures.

Can apitherapy treat the symptoms of Lyme disease?

It's summertime — but the living won't be easy if you come across a tick infected with Lyme disease.

Mother Nature Network, 6/16/2015

Diagnosis and treatment

An accurate diagnosis of Lyme is critical before using apitherapy to treat Lyme, said Keller, who lives on Long Island, New York, where she is an apitherapy practitioner, acupuncturist and beekeeper. Before a person seeks apitherapy, he should visit the doctor and ask the doctor to send a blood sample to a lab to confirm the patient has Lyme, Keller said. Information about testing for lyme is available from IGene-X, Inc., a research lab specializing in state-of-the art testing for Lyme and associated tick-borne diseases.

Practitioners of apitherapy usually mix bee products and/or bee venom in some combination with raw honey and apply them topically as a salve or a cream. The salve or cream can be applied to tick bites and other problem areas such as a cut, scrape, scratch, bug bite, psoriasis, eczema, toe fungus, or hemmorrhoids, Keller said. Apitherapy is also used to treat multiple sclerosis, shingles and other neurologic problems, musculoskeletal issues, such as many forms of arthritis, traumas, sprains and fractures and tumors, both benign and malignant. Bee venom eyedrops can be used for ophthalmic symptoms, Keller said.

Manuka Propolis Suppresses Bacterial Virulence Via Quorum Sensing (QS) Inhibition

Isoprenyl caffeate, a major compound in manuka propolis, is a quorum-sensing inhibitor in Chromobacterium violaceum

Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek. 2015 Jun 10. [Epub ahead of print]

The emergence of antibiotic-resistant bacterial pathogens, especially Gram-negative bacteria, has driven investigations into suppressing bacterial virulence via quorum sensing (QS) inhibition strategies instead of bactericidal and bacteriostatic approaches.

Here, we investigated several bee products for potential compound(s) that exhibit significant QS inhibitory (QSI) properties at the phenotypic and molecular levels in Chromobacterium violaceum ATCC 12472 as a model organism. Manuka propolis produced the strongest violacein inhibition on C. violaceum lawn agar, while bee pollen had no detectable QSI activity and honey had bactericidal activity. Fractionated manuka propolis (pooled fraction 5 or PF5) exhibited the largest violacein inhibition zone (24.5 ± 2.5 mm) at 1 mg dry weight per disc.

In C. violaceum liquid cultures, at least 450 µg/ml of manuka propolis PF5 completely inhibited violacein production. Gene expression studies of the vioABCDE operon, involved in violacein biosynthesis, showed significant (≥two-fold) down-regulation of vioA, vioD and vioE in response to manuka propolis PF5. A potential QSI compound identified in manuka propolis PF5 is a hydroxycinnamic acid-derivative, isoprenyl caffeate, with a [M-H] of 247. Complete violacein inhibition in C. violaceum liquid cultures was achieved with at least 50 µg/ml of commercial isoprenyl caffeate.

In silico docking experiments suggest that isoprenyl caffeate may act as an inhibitor of the violacein biosynthetic pathway by acting as a competitor for the FAD-binding pockets of VioD and VioA.

Further studies on these compounds are warranted toward the development of anti-pathogenic drugs as adjuvants to conventional antibiotic treatments, especially in antibiotic-resistant bacterial infections.

Honey: A Biologic Wound Dressing

Wounds. 2015 Jun;27(6):141-51

Honey has been used as a wound dressing for thousands of years, but only in more recent times has a scientific explanation become available for its effectiveness. It is now realized that honey is a biologic wound dressing with multiple bioactivities that work in concert to expedite the healing process.

The physical properties of honey also expedite the healing process: its acidity increases the release of oxygen from hemoglobin thereby making the wound environment less favorable for the activity of destructive proteases, and the high osmolarity of honey draws fluid out of the wound bed to create an outflow of lymph as occurs with negative pressure wound therapy.

Honey has a broad-spectrum antibacterial activity, but there is much variation in potency between different honeys. There are 2 types of antibacterial activity. In most honeys the activity is due to hydrogen peroxide, but much of this is inactivated by the enzyme catalase that is present in blood, serum, and wound tissues.

In manuka honey, the activity is due to methylglyoxal which is not inactivated. The manuka honey used in wound-care products can withstand dilution with substantial amounts of wound exudate and still maintain enough activity to inhibit the growth of bacteria.

There is good evidence for honey also having bioactivities that stimulate the immune response (thus promoting the growth of tissues for wound repair), suppress inflammation, and bring about rapid autolytic debridement. There is clinical evidence for these actions, and research is providing scientific explanations for them.

Malaysian Tualang Honey Has Cardioprotective Effects

Cardioprotective Effects of Tualang Honey: Amelioration of Cholesterol and Cardiac Enzymes Levels

Biomed Res Int. 2015;2015:286051

The present study was designed to investigate the cardioprotective effects of Malaysian Tualang honey against isoproterenol- (ISO-) induced myocardial infarction (MI) in rats by investigating changes in the levels of cardiac marker enzymes, cardiac troponin I (cTnI), triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), lipid peroxidation (LPO) products, and antioxidant defense system combined with histopathological examination.

Male albino Wistar rats (n = 40) were pretreated orally with Tualang honey (3 g/kg/day) for 45 days. Subcutaneous injection of ISO (85 mg/kg in saline) for two consecutive days caused a significant increase in serum cardiac marker enzymes (creatine kinase-MB (CK-MB), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and aspartate transaminase (AST)), cTnI, serum TC, and TG levels. In addition, ISO-induced myocardial injury was confirmed by a significant increase in heart lipid peroxidation (LPO) products (TBARS) and a significant decrease in antioxidant enzymes (SOD, GPx, GRx, and GST).

Pretreatment of ischemic rats with Tualang honey conferred significant protective effects on all of the investigated biochemical parameters. The biochemical findings were further confirmed by histopathological examination in both Tualang-honey-pretreated and ISO-treated hearts. The present study demonstrates that Tualang honey confers cardioprotective effects on ISO-induced oxidative stress by contributing to endogenous antioxidant enzyme activity via inhibition of lipid peroxidation.

Bee Venom Therapy Workshop June 27 in California

Saturday, June 27, 2015 from 1:00 PM to 3:00 PM (PDT)

Bee Venom Therapy Workshop

Learn how to get started on your own bee venom therapy  You can learn to become self reliant in a modality that has been around for over 2000 years. Bee venom therapy has anti-inflammatory properties that are 100 times stronger than a cortisone shot and is very effective for most types of inflammation and pain reduction. Bee venom balances and stimulates the immune system so the body can more effectively heal itself. Many people believe they are allergic to bee venom due to great swelling that may have occurred from a previous sting but for most this is a myth. Less than 1% of the population is truly allergic to bee venom. Bee venom has been shown to kill the spirochetes of Lyme's disease, HIV and some types of cancer cells in the lab. Bee venom has been used for Lyme's disease, MS, arthritis, fibromyalgia, chronic and acute pain, injuries, shingles, gout, fatigue and much more. You do not need to own your bee hive to implement this therapy.  Come find out how BVT can compliment your other therapies or stand alone as an incredibly effective healing tool that you will not want to be without.

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN

* Practical application of Bee Venom Therapy
* How to build up your immunity comfortably and manageably and reduce swelling and itching.
* History of and uses of Bee Venom Therapy
* How to determine and handle an allergic reaction
* Contraindications
* Where to sting with special focus on Lyme's disease, arthritis, fatigue, and chronic and acute pain
* Brief discussion on complimentary apitherapy products

Propolis Mouthwash More Effective Than Chewing Gum in Inhibiting Plaque and Gingivitis

The comparative effect of propolis in two different vehicles; mouthwash and chewing-gum on plaque accumulation and gingival inflammation

European journal of dentistry 04/2015; 9(2):272

OBJECTIVE:

In general, chemical plaque agents have been used in mouthwashes, gels, and dentifrices. In some situations, application of mouthwashes and dentifrices can be difficult. Therefore, different approaches for oral health-care have been needed. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of propolis chewing-gum compared to propolis-containing mouthwash on gingival inflammation and plaque accumulation on patients that refrained from daily oral hygiene procedures for 5 days.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

10 college students with systemically healthy and very good oral hygiene and gingival health were included in this randomized, single-blind, crossover 5-day plaque regrowth with a 3-day washout period clinical study. After plaque scores were reduced to zero, participants were asked to refrain from oral hygiene procedures and allocated to either propolis mouthwash or chewing-gum group. Chewing-gum was performed after meals 3 times a day for 20 min mouthwash group was instructed to rinse mouthwash 2 times a day for 1 min. On day 5, the clinical periodontal measurements containing plaque and gingival indexes were taken from the participants.

RESULTS:

The both plaque and gingival indexes of propolis mouthwash group were significantly lower than that of the propolis chewing-gum group (P = 0.005).

CONCLUSION:

It was demonstrated that the propolis mouthwash was more effective than the propolis chewing gum on the plaque inhibition and the gingival inflammation.

Why You Should Put Bee Venom On Your Face

MIMI Chatter, 6/9/2015

In my chronic quest for perpetually glowy skin, I stumbled upon a seemingly life-changing ingredient in skin care: bee venom. It sounds frightening… but so did skin needling, and I've already incorporated the tool into my weekly routine. As a matter of fact, brushing my teeth with charcoal sounded pretty awful as well, but I worked that in too—and my teeth are much whiter because of it. So believe me when I tell you I won't steer you in the wrong direction. Plus, bee venom feels like something Beyonce would readily get behind, and Kate Middleton reportedly already has.

New Zealand Cat Has Burns Treated with Honey

Burnt cat gets the honey treatment

Marlborough Express, 6/10/2015

A Marlborough cat that looked like a ball of singed hair after getting burnt in a fire has been reunited with its owners, just in time for the birth of their new baby...

Staff at SPCA Marlborough took Lightning in and treated him while trying to track down his owners.

He was given painkillers and doused in honey to soothe burns to his paws, ears and face...

Kelly Church, of SPCA Marlborough, was Lightning's chief caregiver and said his recovery was remarkable.

Malaysian Tualang HoneyHelps Reduce Post-Tonsillectomy Pain

The effectiveness of Tualang honey in reducing post-tonsillectomy pain

Kulak Burun Bogaz Ihtis Derg. 2015 May-Jun;25(3):137-43

OBJECTIVES:

This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of Tualang honey in reducing post-tonsillectomy pain.

PATIENTS AND METHODS:

The study included 63 patients (31 males, 32 females; mean age 10±4.16 years; range 3 to 18 years) who were planned to undergo tonsillectomy. Patients were randomized into two groups. Treatment group received topical Tualang honey intraoperatively followed by oral consumption of Tualang honey three times daily for seven days with intravenous sultamicillin three times daily for first and second day followed by oral sultamicillin twice daily for five days. Control group received intravenous sultamicillin for two days followed by oral sultamicillin twice daily for five days. Patients' pain was assessed according to visual analog scale, frequency of waking up at night due to pain, and additional use of analgesic from postoperative first to seventh day. Results from each group were statistically compared.

RESULTS:

Early postoperative pain was relieved slightly faster in Tualang honey + antibiotic group; however, the difference between groups was not statistically significant. On postoperative seventh day, all of patients (100%) in Tualang honey + antibiotic group experienced no pain compared to the antibiotic only group. Frequencies of waking up at night and use of analgesic were lower in the Tualang honey + antibiotic group compared to antibiotic only group.

CONCLUSION:

Early postoperative pain was relieved slightly faster in Tualang honey + antibiotic group, which may be attributed to the soothing effect of honey.

New Zealand Company Launches Apitherapy Skin Care Line

BeeBio aims to sweeten travel retail's skincare offer

The Moodie Report, 6/8/2015

Launch: Wellington Global introduced the BeeBio portfolio to the trade at last month’s TFWA Tax Free Asia Pacific show in Singapore.

Details: Key ingredients within the range include active medical grade Manuka honey – known for its healing properties – natural bee products (bee venom, Royal Jelly) and anti-oxidant botanicals from New Zealand. The products regenerate new skin cells by 80%, according to research conducted by the brand.

BeeBio is performing strongly on the Australian domestic market, and earlier this year entered the inflight travel retail sector, with listings onboard Singapore Airlines, Hong Kong Airlines and Cathay Pacific. The brand is targeting a presence onboard 15 airlines by the end of the year.

The BeeBio portfolio includes cleansing, moisturising and treatment lines. Star products include the Venomenous Bee Venom and Active Manuka Honey Anti-Aging Face Masque, Active Manuka Honey Eye Crème with Bee Venom, Royal Jelly Facial Crème and Active Manuka Honey Day Crème with SPF15. Body and hand care products are also available, while an anti-ageing serum is in the pipeline.

Comment: “We believe we have a premium offer and want to go global,” Sales Director Liz Kolovos told The Moodie Report. “We are targeting travel retail expansion, and have already created special travel packs and exclusives for the channel.”

Bee Venom Protects Nervous System

Apitoxin protects rat pups brain from propionic acid-induced oxidative stress: The expression pattern of Bcl-2 and Caspase-3 apoptotic genes

Neurotoxicology. 2015 Jun 2. pii: S0161-813X(15)00087-X

The primary aim of this study was to determine the potential modulatory role of the apitoxin (bee venom; BV) against propionic acid (PPA)-induced neurotoxicity. The biochemical responses to PPA exposure in rat pups were assayed, including changes in the antioxidant barrier systems and lipid peroxidation and protein oxidation biomarkers in the brain tissue. DNA damage was measured by single-cell gel electrophoresis and differences in Bcl-2 and Caspase-3 mRNA expression were assessed using real-time PCR. Changes in amygdala complex ultrastructure were visually assessed using electron microscopy.

Sixty rat pups were assigned into six groups; a control group, a PPA-treated group, a BV-treated group, a protective co-treated group, a therapeutic co-treated group, and a protective/therapeutic co-treated group. The results indicate that PPA induced a pronounced increase (64.6%) in malondialdehyde (MDA), and in DNA damage (73.3%) with 3 fold increase in protein carbonyl concentration. A significant reduction was observed in the enzyme activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) (48.7%) and catalase (CAT) (74.8%) and reduced glutathione (GSH) level (52.6%).

BV significantly neutralised the PPA-induced oxidative stress effects, especially in the BV protective/therapeutic co-treated group. In this group, GSH levels were restored to 64.5%, and MDA, protein carbonyl levels and tail moment % were diminished by 69.5, 21.1 and 18.8% relative to the control, respectively. Furthermore, while PPA induced significant apoptotic neural cell death, BV markedly inhibited apoptosis by promoting Bcl-2 expression and blocking Caspase-3 expression. BV markedly restored the normal ultrastructural morphology of the amygdala complex neurons.

These results conclusively demonstrate that BV administration provides both protective and therapeutic effects in response to the PPA-induced deleterious effects, including oxidative stress, DNA damage, and neuronal death in the brains of rat pups.

More Bulgarians Use Honey, Bee Products in Their Diet

5 June 2015, FOCUS News Agency

Bulgarian beekeeper: In recent years, more and more Bulgarians use honey, bee products in their dietPicture: Focus Information AgencyPazardzhik. Price of a kilo pure natural honey is between BGN 8 and BGN 9 on the market at the time, Angel Blagov, chairman of the Union of Beekeepers in Pazardjik District told Radio Focus – Pazardzhik. The price per kilogram bee pollen and kilogram propolis is about BGN 50-60 and beeswax is trading at a price of BGN 15 / kg. "All bee products are widely used in folk medicine, all of which can be prepared at home.

Very useful for the overall immunity system is bee pollen, as well as EERECL tincture, which is indicated for digestive problems, throat and gums.In recent years, more and more Bulgarians use honey and bee products in their diet," he said.

Ulmo Honey Heals Venous Ulcers

Combined therapy of Ulmo honey (Eucryphia cordifolia) and ascorbic acid to treat venous ulcers

Rev Lat Am Enfermagem. 2015 Feb-Apr;23(2):259-66

OBJECTIVE:

to assess the clinical effect of topical treatment using Ulmo honey associated with oral ascorbic acid in patients with venous ulcers.

METHOD:

longitudinal and descriptive quantitative study. During one year, 18 patients were assessed who were clinically diagnosed with venous ulcer in different stages, male and female, adult, with a mean injury time of 13 months. Ulmo honey was topically applied daily. The dressing was applied in accordance with the technical standard for advanced dressings, combined with the daily oral consumptions of 500 mg of ascorbic acid. The monitoring instrument is the assessment table of venous ulcers.

RESULTS:

full healing was achieved in 100% of the venous ulcers. No signs of complications were observed, such as allergies or infection.

CONCLUSION:

the proposed treatment showed excellent clinical results for the healing of venous ulcers. The honey demonstrated debriding and non-adherent properties, was easy to apply and remove and was well accepted by the users. The described results generated a research line on chronic wound treatment.

Bee Venom May Help Treat Fibrosis in Chronic Kidney Disease

Anti-Fibrotic Effect of Natural Toxin Bee Venom on Animal Model of Unilateral Ureteral Obstruction

Toxins (Basel). 2015 May 29;7(6):1917-1928

Progressive renal fibrosis is the final common pathway for all kidney diseases leading to chronic renal failure. Bee venom (BV) has been widely used as a traditional medicine for various diseases. However, the precise mechanism of BV in ameliorating the renal fibrosis is not fully understood. To investigate the therapeutic effects of BV against unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO)-induced renal fibrosis, BV was given intraperitoneally after ureteral ligation.

At seven days after UUO surgery, the kidney tissues were collected for protein analysis and histologic examination. Histological observation revealed that UUO induced a considerable increase in the number of infiltrated inflammatory cells. However, BV treatment markedly reduced these reactions compared with untreated UUO mice. The expression levels of TNF-α and IL-1β were significantly reduced in BV treated mice compared with UUO mice. In addition, treatment with BV significantly inhibited TGF-β1 and fibronectin expression in UUO mice. Moreover, the expression of α-SMA was markedly withdrawn after treatment with BV.

These findings suggest that BV attenuates renal fibrosis and reduces inflammatory responses by suppression of multiple growth factor-mediated pro-fibrotic genes.

In conclusion, BV may be a useful therapeutic agent for the prevention of fibrosis that characterizes progression of chronic kidney disease.

Bee Venom Could Help Treat Viral Infections

Honeybee (Apis mellifera) Venom Reinforces Viral Clearance during the Early Stage of Infection with Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus through the Up-Regulation of Th1-Specific Immune Responses

Toxins (Basel). 2015 May 22;7(5):1837-53

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS) is a chronic and immunosuppressive viral disease that is responsible for substantial economic losses for the swine industry. Honeybee venom (HBV) is known to possess several beneficial biological properties, particularly, immunomodulatory effects.

Therefore, this study aimed at evaluating the effects of HBV on the immune response and viral clearance during the early stage of infection with porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) in pigs.

HBV was administered via three routes of nasal, neck, and rectal and then the pigs were inoculated with PRRSV intranasally. The CD4+/CD8+ cell ratio and levels of interferon (IFN)-γ and interleukin (IL)-12 were significantly increased in the HBV-administered healthy pigs via nasal and rectal administration.

In experimentally PRRSV-challenged pigs with virus, the viral genome load in the serum, lung, bronchial lymph nodes and tonsil was significantly decreased, as was the severity of interstitial pneumonia, in the nasal and rectal administration group. Furthermore, the levels of Th1 cytokines (IFN-γ and IL-12) were significantly increased, along with up-regulation of pro-inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α and IL-1β) with HBV administration.

Thus, HBV administration-especially via the nasal or rectal route-could be a suitable strategy for immune enhancement and prevention of PRRSV infection in pigs.

New Zealand Medicinal Honey Firm Raises Capital to Fund New Products

Manuka Health mulls capital raising options after global launch of new honey products

NBR, 6/3/2015

Manuka Health, the functional food and dietary supplement company, is reviewing capital-raising options to help fund a global rollout of new products said to boost the antibacterial qualities of manuka honey and its pipeline of research and development...

Manuka Honey Has a Potent Anti-Typhoid Activity

Effect of different doses of Manuka honey in experimentally induced mouse typhoid

Pak J Pharm Sci. 2015 May;28(3):891-902

Typhoid fever is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the developing world. Data from World Health Organization (WHO) shows that 21 million cases of typhoid occur globally every year and over 200,000 die each year; most of them at a very young age.

The situation in Pakistan is similar. Typhi and other typhoidal salmonellae have developed resistance to chloramphenicol and other first line anti-typhoid. There is a rapid increase in multi-drug resistance (MDR) throughout the world. There is an urgent need to find out alternative medicine to sort out this problem.

This study was conducted to establish preventive as well as therapeutic potential of Manuka honey. A total of eighty pathogen free BALB/C mice between 8 weeks to 12 weeks of age, weighing 25-30 grams were taken and divided into 4 groups. Group A, B and C were infected through oral route with 10(8) colony forming unit (CFU) of Salmonella typhimurium ATCC 14028 to produce typhoid like disease in mice. Group A, which comprised of 20 mice was further divided in A1 and A2 given Manuka honey at a dose of 15ml/kg and 20 ml/kg respectively. Group B, which comprised of 20 mice was further divided in B1 and B2 was given Manuka honey at dose of 20ml/kg and 25ml/kg respectively.

Clinical features of mouse typhoid, like body temperature, respiratory rate, number of stools and general behavior were recorded twice daily. Blood cultures of mice in different groups were taken at different days to evaluate the establishment of infection as well as to observe the therapeutic and preventive potential of Manuka honey in mouse typhoid. Fisher's Exact, Chi- Square and t-test were used to analyze the data. Significant association was observed in the ultimate fate of mice in Group A1 and Group A2 (P < 0.001), showing that from a total of 20 mice in both groups, 10 mice fall in Group A1 of which 10 (100%) developed infection as it was not prevented by honey at a dose of 15ml/kg body weight (15.00±0.00) in Group A1 and ten mice fall in Group A2 of which 10(100%) did not developed an infection as it was prevented by honey at a dose of 20ml/kg body weight (20.00±0.00) in Group A2.

Significant association was observed in the ultimate fate of mice in Group B1 and Group B2 (P < 0.001) showing that from a total of 20 mice in both groups, 10 mice fall in Group B1 of which 10 (100%) had an infection, which was not treated by honey at a dose of 20 ml/kg body weight. Ten mice fall in Group B2 of which 10 (100%) had an infection, which was treated by honey at a dose of 25 ml/kg body weight (25.00±0.00).

Results of the present study suggest that Manuka honey (UMF25±) has a potent anti-typhoid activity in vivo as well. There is an intense need for a carefully designed clinical trial in which this therapeutic potential of Manuka honey should be further evaluated. There is also need for the search of local honeys comparable to Manuka honey as a therapeutic option for typhoid fever.

Honey Inhibits Cytotoxic and Genotoxic Risks

Honey bee is a potential antioxidant against cyclophosphamide-induced genotoxicity in albino male mice

Pak J Pharm Sci. 2015 May;28(3):973-81

The protective effects of honey bee (HB) and pollen grains against cyclophosphamide (CPM) -induced cytotoxic and genotoxic effects in mice were investigated. This was achieved through study the effects of CPM and HB on oxidative status, chromosomal aberrations and gene expression of the tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interleukin 6 (IL-6), interleukin-1β (IL1β), interleukin 17A (IL-17A) and interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) in mice. In addition, the levels of reduced glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde were determined. The results of this study revealed that CPM decrease in GSH level and increase in malondialdehyde (MDA) level in the liver and kidney tissues. Moreover, CPM induced sperm abnormality, chromosomal aberrations and down regulated the expression of the studied cytokine genes. HB treatment in association with CPM ameliorates GSH, MDA, chromosomal aberrations and regulated the expression of IL-1-β, IL-17A, IL-6, TNF-α and IFN-γ. Thus, HB inhibits the cytotoxic and genotoxic risks associated with CPM treatment in mice...

DISCUSSION

The use of phytochemicals to protective against diseases and to mitigate the toxic effects of drugs was documented (Wollgast et al., 2000). HB contains polyphenols, caffeic acid (CA), CAPE, sugars, vitamins, minerals and enzymes (Kelloff et al., 2004). Therefore, honey exhibits

antioxidant, anti-infective, anti-mutagenic and immunomodulation effects (Orsolic et al., 2004, Al-Waili, 2003 a, b). As honey is a common food for humans, we investigated it as a potential candidate for chemo preventive treatment of CPM-induced cytotoxicity and genotoxicity in male mice.