Fighting Eye Diseases with Brazilian Green Propolis

Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy
Volume 140, August 2021, 111740

In 2020, an estimated 596 million people worldwide had distance vision impairment and a further 510 million had uncorrected near vision impairment, which can profoundly affect individuals, families, and society. Currently, the ultimate goal in ophthalmology research is to establish news actions other than medical that may be effective for the treatment of eye diseases. To a similar extent, as nature has provided an unlimited source of biologically-active compounds, scientists have sought resources in fauna and flora to treat certain major eye diseases. Thus, we enjoyed reading the excellent review article developed by Zhao and colleagues who discussed the latest developments in therapeutic quercetin for the treatment of various ophthalmic diseases. Due to various biological activities, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-fibrosis activities, the authors appropriately discuss the clinical application of quercetin in keratoconus, Graves’ orbitopathy, ocular surface, cataracts, glaucoma, retinoblastoma, and other retinal diseases.

Considering the important clinical data, we also would like to express some thoughts that may open the debate about the possible viability of propolis in the ophthalmological field. In fact, as pure natural molecules isolated from plants have shown scientifically-proven benefits for ocular tissues, the protective effects of propolis in certain major eye diseases could play an important role in this scenario...

Bee Venom May Help Treat Aggressive, Hard-to-Treat Breast Cancer

Beekeepers are in the early stages of trials to assess the benefits of bee venom.

Key points:

• A Northern NSW apiarist is exploring how beekeepers can diversify
• Research has found honeybee venom is effective in killing breast cancer cells
• It could provide more options for apiarists than just honey production

...She said her business HoneyBee Hives, which operates from Coutts Crossing, would be using Queensland-invented technology to see if bee venom could be used for both cosmetic and therapeutic purposes.

The technology, developed by company Whale Labs, is a bee venom collection device that doesn't harm the bees.

"Rather than just doing the same old, same old, let's look at ways we can diversify," Ms McQueen-Richardson said.

A study published in the Nature Precision Oncology journal last year found venom from honeybees could rapidly kill aggressive and hard-to-treat breast cancer cells.

The study also found when the venom's main component was combined with existing chemotherapy drugs, it was extremely efficient at reducing tumour growth in mice.

WATCH: Can Bee Venom Therapy Help Treat Lyme Disease?

Bee venom therapy?

SOUTH BEND, Ind. (WNDU) - This woman’s only relief from Lyme disease is bees!

Stinging away the pain of Lyme disease, in today’s Medical Moment.

300,000 people are diagnosed with Lyme disease each year.

If diagnosed early, antibiotics will wipe out the bacteria left behind in the blood before it spreads.

But now, as Martie Salt reports, some patients are turning to bees.

The scientists caution that more research is needed to find a safe and effective way to administer the bee venom.

And of course, health experts say people who are allergic to bees should not try this.

The Health Benefits of Bee Pollen (bee bread, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antiviral properties, allergies, allergy)

Bee pollen: What to know

• About bee pollen
• Nutritional details
• Apitherapy
• Potential health benefits
• Precautions
• Pollen and bees
• Medical advice

Summary

Bee pollen provides nutritional food for bees. It is a natural mixture of bee secretions, honey, enzymes, wax, and flower pollen. Bee pollen may have some benefits for humans, but collecting it may adversely affect the health of the bees and even destroy the colony.

Many people regard bee pollen as a superfood because of its many nutrients; others see it as a natural therapeutic product that has anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and antiviral properties. Consuming bee pollen may not suit people with allergies to flower pollen or bee stings...

Bee Bread May Help Prevent Complications of Type 2 Diabetes

Bee Bread Can Alleviate Lipid Abnormalities and Impaired Bone Morphology in Obese Zucker Diabetic Rats

Molecules. 2021 Apr 29;26(9):2616

This study examined for the first time whether bee bread (BB, consisting of monofloral rape bee pollen) could alleviate lipid derangements and reduced bone quality in Zucker diabetic fatty (ZDF) rats, which are considered an appropriate animal model for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) investigation. Adult ZDF rats were segregated into four groups: lean non-diabetic rats (L group), obese diabetic rats untreated (C group), and those treated with the BB at two doses (500 and 700 mg/kg body weight, respectively, B1 and B2 groups) for 10 weeks. Significantly reduced levels of total cholesterol and triglyceride were recorded in the B2 group versus the C group. In both BB-treated groups, significantly increased relative volume of trabecular bone and trabecular thickness, enhanced density of secondary osteons, accelerated periosteal bone apposition, and improved blood flow were observed. A positive effect of higher dose of BB on femoral weight and cortical bone thickness was also demonstrated. Our results suggest a promising potential of BB to ameliorate T2DM-related complications associated with lipid and bone damages.

Using Bee Venom as a Treatment for Lyme Disease

ABC12

...Adriana and her mother talked with 75 different doctors, tried antibiotics, immunotherapy, hyperbaric oxygen and herbal treatments. Nothing worked until bee venom therapy, or BVT. Ellie Lobel, a nuclear physicist, literally stumbled across the treatment by accident.

“I was attacked by killer bees,” Ellie Lobel shared.

But days after surviving the surprise bee attack her symptoms started disappearing. Ellie spent the next several years researching BVT and found it kills the bacteria that causes Lyme’s most debilitating symptoms—but according to Ellie, it only works if taken directly from the bee.

“The devil’s in the dosing right, is what they say. So not enough, won’t heal you, but too much can kill you,” Lobel revealed...

International Virtual Conference: Apitherapy for Children - Bees, Children and Health, 22nd to 24th of October 2021

The main topics of the conference: 

    • Medicinal bee plants useful for bees and children

    • Medicinal beekeeping, rules, and principles

    • Bio-pharmacology and quality of beehive products

    • Prevention and treatment of children diseases, including allergies with beehive products

    • Api-Tourism and Api-Education for Children

Honey Most Commonly Used Dietary Supplement Used in Saudi Arabia During COVID-19 Pandemic

COVID-19 Pandemic in Saudi Arabia: A Cross-Sectional Online Survey

Objectives: The utilization rate of herbal and dietary supplements among the Saudi population is reported to be high. However, the utilization rate and types of herbal and dietary supplements during the COVID-19 pandemic are largely unknown.

Methods: This was an online questionnaire-based cross-sectional study that used convenience sampling and social media platforms (Telegram®, Twitter®, and WhatsApp®) to disseminate a 12-item questionnaire across the Saudi general public aged 18 years and above. The questionnaire inquired about the sociodemographic characteristics (e.g., age, gender, education, geographical location), presence of chronic health conditions and the use of prescription medications, awareness of the viral nature of COVID-19 infection and its common symptoms, and the commonly utilized herbal and/or dietary supplements.

Results: Sixty-four percent of the 1473 participants reported using herbal and/or dietary supplements for the purpose of boosting their immune system to prevent COVID-19 infection. In addition, 88.2% of the respondents were misinformed about the manifestation of COVID-19 symptoms. Most of the participants were Saudi (91.9%), aged 49 years and younger (83%), female (52%), and healthy (81%). Honey (46%), lemon (45%), ginger (36%), vitamin C (32%), black seed (26%), garlic (26%), and turmeric (19%) were the most commonly used herbal and/or dietary supplements by the participants. Saudi nationals (OR = 1.67, 95% CI: 1.08 to 2.6, p = 0.02), older adults (OR = 1.30, 95% CI:1.10 to 1.55, p = 0.002), and those taking prescription medications had higher odds of using dietary and/or herbal supplements (OR = 3.31, 95% CI: 2.61 to 4.18, p < 0.0001).

Conclusion: The utilization rate of herbal and dietary supplements among the Saudi public during the COVID-19 pandemic is high. Future studies should examine the impact of different public awareness campaigns aimed at improving the public knowledge of the risk and benefits associated with the use of different commonly utilized herbal and dietary products identified in this study.