Wednesday, January 31, 2007

Videos Examine Bee Venom Therapy

Episode 12 - Bee Well with Bee Venom?
TV Episode, Written by Leah Guy, 1/29/2007

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. Thanks, again, to Jim and Adam for some fantastic camera close-ups!

Bee Sting Treatments Creat a Buzz

Jan. 23: China's residents swarm to ancient remedy for cheap alternative to cure ailments. MSNBC.com's Kevin Flynn reports.

Tuesday, January 30, 2007

Propolis May Boost Effectiveness of Vaccines

Immunomodulation Produced by a Green Propolis Extract on Humoral and Cellular Responses of Mice Immunized with SuHV-1
Vaccine, Volume 25, Issue 7 , 26 January 2007, Pages 1250-1256

Abstract: Despite recent technological advances in vaccine production, most the vaccines depend on the association with adjuvant substances. This work evaluated the adjuvant capacity of an ethanol extract of green propolis associated to inactivated Suid herpesvirus type 1 (SuHV-1) vaccine preparations. Mice inoculated with SuHV-1 vaccine plus aluminum hydroxide and 5 mg/dose of propolis extract presented higher levels of antibodies when compared to animals that received the same vaccine without propolis. The use of SuHV-1 vaccine with propolis extract alone did not induce significant levels of antibodies, however it was able to increase the cellular immune response, evidenced by the increase in the expression of mRNA to IFN-γ. Besides, propolis increased the percentage of protected animals against challenge with a lethal dose of SuHV-1. The effect of green propolis extract on the humoral and cellular immune responses may be exploited for the development of effective vaccines.

Monday, January 29, 2007

Apitherapy Session Scheduled at Balkan Beekeeping Event in Turkey


1st Balkan Countries Beekeeping Congress and Exhibition

Where: Radisson SAS Conference & Airport Hotel in İstanbul
When: March 29th, 2007 - April 1st, 2007


Sunday, January 28, 2007

The Healing Power of Honey

From Burns to Weak Bones, Raw Honey Can Help
By Kelly Joyce Neff, News Target, 1/26/2007

(NewsTarget) Raw honey – which has not been pasteurized or filtered, and ideally taken directly from the hive – is a treasure chest of nutritional value and medicinal remedies. It contains an abundance of vitamins and minerals and is a natural and powerful medicine, both internally and externally.

The list of honey's beneficial functions is a long one. Honey increases calcium absorption; can increase hemoglobin count and treat or prevent anemia caused by nutritional factors; can help arthritic joints, when combined with apple cider vinegar; fights colds and respiratory infections of all kinds; can help to boost gastrointestinal ulcer healing; works as a natural and gentle laxative; aids constipation, allergies and obesity; provides an array of vitamins and minerals; and supplies instant energy without the insulin surge caused by white sugar.

Many have found raw honey helpful for its positive effects against allergies and hay fever, and one or two teaspoons last thing at night can help with insomnia. As an antiseptic, honey is also a drawing agent for poisons from bites or stings or infected wounds, and has outperformed antibiotics in treatments for stomach ulcerations, gangrene, surgical wound infections, surgical incisions and the protection of skin grafts, corneas, blood vessels and bones during storage and shipment...

Saturday, January 27, 2007

‘World Apitherapy Day' Celebrates Health Benefits of Bee Products

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

(MIAMI, FL, 1/27/2007)March 30, 2007, will mark the 2nd annual celebration of “World Apitherapy Day," an event designed to enhance international understanding of the therapeutic use and health benefits of bee products. See: www.worldapitherapyday.org

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 announcing the annual World Apitheray Day are now 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 – English, Chinese, Spanish, Russian, French, and Arabic. Go to: http://www.cafepress.com/apitherapy

All proceeds will go to the non-profit World Apitherapy Network. See: http://beesforlife.org/

For more information about Apitherapy, go to: www.apitherapy.com or www.apitherapy.org

The latest news and information about Apitherapy is available at Apitherapy News: www.apitherapynews.com

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

Friday, January 26, 2007

Brazilian Propolis Effective Against Oral Pathogens

Susceptibility of Oral Pathogenic Bacteria and Fungi to Brazilian Green Propolis Extract
Pharmacologyonline, 3: 467-473 (2006) de Paula et al. 467

Abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the antimicrobial activity of ethanolic extract and fractions of Brazilian green propolis (BGP) collected by bees from Baccharis dracunculifolia against 16 oral pathogenic microorganisms. BGP was examinated by Reversed-Phase High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (RPHPLC) and its absorption spectra was assessed using UV-Spectrophotometer…

The results indicate that all microorganisms tested were susceptible to BGP. None of the essayed fractions (Coumaric acid, Kaempferol, Pinobanskin-3-acetate, Chrysin, Galangin, Kaempferide, and Artepillin C) was more active than the extract, suggesting a synergistic effect of propolis constituents for the antimicrobial activity.

Thursday, January 25, 2007

Propolis Helps in Treatment of Chronic Periodontitis

Periodontitis Treatment with Brazilian Green Propolis Gel
Pharmacologyonline, 3: 336-341 (2006) Cairo do Amaral et al. 336

Summary: Propolis has been shown to exibit in vitro antimicrobial activity against periodontal pathogens. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of Brazilian Green Propolis Gel (BGPG) for the treatment of patients diagnosed with gingivitis and Chronic Periodontitis (CP)…

Dental brushing with BGPG and washing mouth with propolis solution daily was carried through during the treatment. BGPG was applied in each periodontal pocket once a week, during 5 weeks, having used barren dismissable syringe.

The results shown a regression of 95% gingivitis and suppuration in all the teeth irrigated with BGPG, as well as a pocket depths reduction in all unsubmitted and submitted teeth previously to the RAR. It was not observed alveolar bone reorganization. Increase of gingival contractionand dental mobility reduction was noted. In this clinical study, the patient treated with the BGPG showed periodontitis/gingivitis regression. The results suggest that 10% BGPG used could be used as an adjuvant therapeutic method assigned for the treatment of CP. Other studies need to be conducted with more significant number of patients in order to stablish this treatment as an alternative approach for peridontal infectious conditions.

Corresponding Author's Contact Details:

Dr. Vagner Rodrigues Santos
Faculdade de Odontologia UFMG
Av. Antônio Carlos 6627 – Campus Pampulha
Belo Horizonte – Minas Gerais - Brasil – CEP: 31270-901.
Phone: +55 31 34992406 FAX: +55 3134992430
E-mail: vegneer2003@yahoo.com.br

Wednesday, January 24, 2007

Brazilian Conference on the Use of Propolis in Dentistry

Conferência Própolis em Odontologia Aplicações Contemporâneas de um Produto Ancestral

Data: 30 de Março de 2007
Horário de 9:00 às 12:00 e 14:00 às 18:00
Local: Auditório da ABO em Belo Horizonte - MG

Translate from Portuguese to English

Tuesday, January 23, 2007

Mesquite Bee-Collected Pollen Contains Natural Antioxidants

Antioxidant Activity of Polyphenolic Extract of Monofloral Honeybee-Collected Pollen from Mesquite
Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, Volume 20, Issue 2 , March 2007, Pages 119-124

Abstract: The antioxidant capacity related to the phenolic composition of monospecific honeybee-collected pollen extract from the mesquite tree (Prosopis juliflora) from Durango, Mexico, was evaluated in an in vitro-biological system (as inhibitor of lipid peroxidation on mouse hepatic microsomal preparations) and in an in vivo system (on homogenized liver of bromobenzene-intoxicated mice) by quantification of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS).

The comparison of results obtained from these two different systems was also made. The results obtained suggest that pollen of P. juliflora is an important source of flavonoids, which can be considered as natural antioxidants.

Mesquite pollen extracts showed antioxidant activity related to the flavonol concentration in both the in vitro-biological system and the in vivo system with a lower activity in the latter of these systems.

Under in vivo conditions and in those in which a state of oxidation in not induced, a high concentration of flavonols in the extract of mesquite pollen can have a pro-oxidant effect.

Monday, January 22, 2007

Bee Venom Therapy Part of Traditional Chinese Medicine

Ancient Medicine All the Buzz in Modern China
Reuters, 1/22/2007

BEIJING - With doctors urging amputation to stop the gangrene spreading upwards from his toes, Liu Guorong was sceptical when a friend said bee venom might save his foot.

“I was doubting this place,” the 58-year-old diabetes sufferer said in a raspy voice during a visit to the Xizhihe Traditional Medicine Hospital on the outskirts of Beijing.

“When I got here, I had no idea what I was doing and what the bee sting treatment was all about.”

As Liu found out, it was painful.

Bees were placed on his foot and provoked to sting him in a bid to rejuvenate the blackened, rotting flesh by flooding it with a rush of protein-rich blood.

A folk remedy for treating arthritis, back pain and rheumatism for 3,000 years in China, practitioners say that such pinpointed stings can repair damaged cells, stave off bacteria and ease inflammation.

Doctors at Xizhihe hospital believe they can even cure liver ailments, diabetes and cancers…

“Doctors at other hospitals were telling me that they needed to cut my foot off,” Liu said. “I’d spent loads of money.”

Liu has been to Xizhihe several times to get stung and is now on a course of orally-taken bee venom medication. He now expects to keep his foot.

“The flesh is growing back ... I’m feeling better,” Liu said…

Sunday, January 21, 2007

Propolis May Help Treat Oral Infenctions

The Effect of Brazilian Propolis on the Germ Tube Formation and Cell Wall of Candida
Albicans

Pharmacologyonline 3: 352-358 (2006) Mello et al.

Summary: Candidal adherence has been implicated as the first step in the pathogenesis of oral candidosis, and germ tube formation by Candida albicans has been attributed as co-factor that promotes adherence.

Propolis, a natural product produced by the honeybee, has been shown to possess antifungal activity although the mechanism of its action remains unclear.

The aim of this study was to investigate the germ tube formation capacity of C.albicans (ATCC18804) following its exposure to Brazilian Green Propolis (BGP) at different concentrations.

The ultrastructural topographic features of the yeast cells exposed to propolis using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and light microscopy (LM) were performed to investigate the morphology of the yeast. Yeast cell suspensions were added to tubes containing foetal calf serum medium (2 h-37ºC). Nystatin and C. glabrata (ATCC 2001) were used as control. Absence of germ tube formation (LM) occurred at 0,33 μg/mL. The ultrastructural findings (TEM) showed hyperplasia and changes in the cell surface at 0,43 μg/mL.

It is suggested that the antifungal activity of propolis is due to changes in the cell wall leading to an increase of volume and membrane rupture. The positive results suggest that propolis should be further tested as an alternative therapy for infectious conditions of the oral cavity, such candidiasis and denture stomatitis.

Corresponding Author's Contact Details:

Dr. Vagner Rodrigues Santos
Faculdade de Odontologia UFMG
Av. Antônio Carlos 6627 – Campus Pampulha
Belo Horizonte – Minas Gerais - Brasil – CEP: 31270-901.
Phone: +55 31 34992406 FAX: +55 3134992430
E-mail: vegneer2003@yahoo.com.br

Article Outlines Health Benefits of Honey

Hey Honey
Indian Express, 1/21/2007

You are on a diet and have to stay off sugar. You don't want the usual sugar-free sweetener either. Go honey. Not only will it cut the calories and make your fare just as sweet, it will also keep you going on the energy circuit.

Nutritionists across the world have traditionally favoured honey as a source of energy vis-a-vis sugar for the innumerable benefits it offers. Honey has carbohydrate compounds that are singularly acceptable and practical and is considered most effective to generate heat, create and replace energy and furthermore, form certain tissues…

Compared to sugar, honey has a healthier Glycemic Index (GI) which measures the negative impact of a given food on the blood-glucose level…

Besides that, honey has several anti-oxidants and has been shown to improve cholesterol and other blood lipid levels…

Research is on to establish the relation between antioxidants in honey and its intake and prevention of cancer, says Dr Khanna. "The more honey you have during a day, it adds to anti-oxidants in the body which combat cells causing cancer."…

Sweet Truths

1 Primarily composed of sugars like glucose and fructose and minerals like magnesium, potassium, calcium, sulphur, iron and phosphate, honey also contains vitamins B1, B2, C, B6, B5 and B3. Copper, iodine and zinc are also present in small quantities

2 Tablespoon of table sugar has 64 calories while a tablespoon of honey has 46 calories

3 Honey and ginger juice is a good expectorant. It helps in colds, cough, sore throat and runny nose

4 To improve eyesight, mix honey with carrot juice. Drink an hour before meals in the morning

5 Natural honey causes a lower rise in blood sugar than refined sugar for Type 2 diabetes patients. A little unprocessed honey may be added in their drinks when they crave some sweetness in their diet.

Saturday, January 20, 2007

Propolis is an ‘Effective Food Supplement’ for Cancer Patients

Biological Therapy Using Propolis as Nutritional Supplement in Cancer Treatment
International Journal of Cancer Research - 91-IJCR (2007)

Abstract: Neoplasia cause several disorders in the affected body, such as suppression of immune function besides emotional and social impairments. Therefore, handling patients can be extremely difficult, offering several challenges in choosing the appropriate treatment option to be used. The right selection of treatment demands special attention. Chemotherapy is usually the standard treatment, although there are many other different therapeutic modalities also used in medicine. The present study is a literature review focusing on the pharmacological properties of propolis, the resinous product collected by the honeybee from different plant sources, which represents a secure and efficient option for biological therapy and cancer prevention.

Friday, January 19, 2007

Royal Jelly, Bee-Collected Pollen Used to Enhance Athletic Performance

Performance-Enhancing Bugs
By Jonathan Lungren Research entomologist USDA-ARS, Brookings
Aberdeen American News (USA), 1/19/2007

Sports fans these days are regularly inundated with the latest doping scandal; "so-and-so is under investigation for taking such-and-such a product." Given the lengths to which professional athletes will go, it's not surprising that some have turned to insects in order to improve their game.

Energy boosting from consuming insects and insect products is claimed by a number of commercial food supplements, notably royal jelly (honeybees feed larvae that are destined to be queens this substance, which consists of secretions from a couple of bee glands), bee-pollen, insect hormone (insects have many hormones, and it isn't clear from the product description which are being included in this supplement), and an insect disease called Cordyceps sinensis…

Jonathan Lundgren is a research entomologist at the USDA-ARS research facility in Brookings. Although interested in all aspects of insect biology, he specializes on reducing crop pests through the use of beneficial insects.

Thursday, January 18, 2007

New Apitherapy Products Introduced in Cuba

Cuba Presents New Products for Health
Prensa Latina, 1/17/2007

Havana, Jan 17 (Prensa Latina) Three new Cuban apicultural products for human health are shown in the 1st Latin American Meeting of Apiculture and the 2nd Cuban Congress of Apiculture (CUBAPI) in session in Havana now…

Doctor in Biological Sciences Ana Gonzalez Guerra, Director of the center, highlighted in exclusive interview to Cuba’s National Information Agency (AIN) the advantages of a medication called Provit, propoleum capsules, bee pollen, eucalypt and others.

She also said a medication called Prolasmin, a mixture of honey, propoleum extract, and noni juice, is a nutritional supplement with anti-oxidant and immunological properties…

Editor’s Note: It is presumed that “propoleum” refers to some form of propolis or propolis extract.

Wednesday, January 17, 2007


Charles Mraz Apitherapy Course and Conference
April 26-29, 2007
Research Triangle Park, North Carolina (USA)
Visit www.apitherapy.org for updated conference details as they become available.

Media Contact: Frederique Keller, Vice President, American Apitherapy Society
Phone: (631) 351-3521; E-Mail: Kellerf@optonline.net

Conference Info & Registration Contact:
The American Apitherapy Society
4835 Van Nuys Blvd. Suite 100, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
Phone: (818) 501-0446; FAX: (818) 995-9334; info@apitherapy.org

Sherman Oaks, CA: The American Apitherapy Society (AAS) has named the Raleigh/Durham area of North Carolina as the location of its Charles Mraz Apitherapy Course & International Conference (CMACC). Now in its 12th year, the annual apitherapy training focuses on the therapeutic use of products of the beehive, including honey, pollen, propolis, royal jelly and bee venom therapy. One of the most ancient of all healing modalities, apitherapy is gaining increased attention worldwide from medical professionals, academic researchers, and lay practitioners as the efficacy of the hive products and treatments becomes better known.
Course: An in-depth course running from Thursday night through Saturday morning will provide a comprehensive training by AAS faculty in the use of beehive products and bee venom therapy; includes extensive course manual. Those who pass a final exam will receive a Certificate of Knowledge.

Conference: Recent advances in apitherapy worldwide will be presented from Saturday afternoon through Sunday afternoon.

Venue: Radisson Hotel Research Triangle Park, 150 Park Drive, Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina.

Call 1-800-333-3333 for reservations worldwide and mention the American Apitherapy Society’s CMACC for a discounted rate; complimentary airport shuttle available.

Fees: Course and Conference: $225 by March 26, Late Fee: $275; Students with Valid ID: $175

Fees include a one-year, $45 AAS membership.

Tuesday, January 16, 2007

Royal Jelly Stimulates Bone Formation

Research Center Reveals New Findings on Biochemistry
Life Science Weekly, January 16, 2007

A report, "Royal jelly stimulates bone formation: physiologic and nutrigenomic studies with mice and cell lines," is newly published data in Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry. According to recent research from Japan, "Royal jelly (RJ) has diverse physiological and pharmacological functions. We observed its weak estrogenic activity in the previous study."

"RJ stimulated the proliferation of mouse osteoblast-like MC3T3-E1 cells at 0.1 mg/ml, and the effect was blocked by the specific estrogen receptor antagonist ICI 182,780. The addition of 0.1-1.0 mg/ml RJ enhanced collagen production in culture medium. Oral administration of RJ to normal female mice for 9 weeks increased the ash content of their tibiae. DNA microarray analysis revealed significant changes in gene expression related to extracellular matrix formation when the femurs of mice fed RJ were analyzed. Quantitative reverse transcriptase-PCR (RT-PCR) confirmed up-regulation of procollagen I alpha1 gene expression," wrote Y. Narita and colleagues, Research Center.

The researchers concluded: "These data suggest that RJ as a whole or some of its individual components stimulates production of type I collagen and other activities for bone formation through action on osteoblasts."…

Monday, January 15, 2007

No Difference Between Honey and Intrasite Gel as Healing Agents

Study: ‘Honey is a Safe, Satisfying and Effective Healing Agent’

Reports from University of Limpopo Describe Recent Advances in Dermatology
Drug Week, 1/19/2007

A prospective, randomised, double-blind controlled trial was carried out among goldmine workers. were healing times of shallow wounds and abrasions; side-effects; patient satisfaction with treatment; and amount of honey and IntraSite Gel used," researchers in South Africa report.

"The mean healing times of shallow wounds treated with honey or with IntraSite Gel did not differ significantly (p=0.75, 95% confidence interval (CI): -5.41; 7.49 days). When adjusted for wound size, the 2.8-day difference in favour of honey was not significant (p=0.21, 95% CI: -2.41; 8.09). In the case of abrasions there was also no significant difference (p=0.83, 95% CI: -4.98; 6.19 days). When adjusted for wound size, the difference of 0.22 days in favour of IntraSite Gel was not significant (p=0.94, 95% CI: -5.72; 6.15.4).

Of patients treated with honey, 27% and 10% respectively experienced itching and pain, and 2 experienced burning for a short time after application. Of patients treated with IntraSite Gel, 31% experienced itching.

All patients in both treatment groups were either satisfied or extremely satisfied with treatment. The average cost of treatment per patient was R0.49 with honey and R12.03 with with IntraSite Gel…

There was no evidence of a real difference between honey and IntraSite Gel as healing agents. Honey is a safe, satisfying and effective healing agent," wrote R. Ingle and colleagues, University of Limpopo.

The researchers concluded: "Natural honey is extremely costeffective."

Ingle and colleagues published their study in South African Medical Journal Suid-afrikaanse Tydskrif Vir Geneeskunde (Wound healing with honey--a randomised controlled trial. South African Medical Journal Suid-afrikaanse Tydskrif Vir Geneeskunde, 2006;96(9):831-5).

Sunday, January 14, 2007

Antioxidant Activity of Honey Comparable with Vitamin E

Antioxidant Capacity of Venezuelan Honey in Wistar Rat Homogenates
Journal of Medicinal Food, 2006 Winter;9(4):510-6

The antioxidant effect of several polyphenolic compounds is well known. However, little is known about the antioxidant capacity of Venezuelan honey, which has a high content of polyphenolic compounds...

We found that this honey has the capacity to decrease significantly the concentration of lipid hydroperoxides and malondialdehyde, produced during the lipid peroxidation process, in a comparable way with other widely studied antioxidants such as melatonin and vitamin E. It was found that the antioxidant activity in the 50% honey dilution, the highest concentration we tested, was equivalent to a concentration of uric acid of 0.62 mM.

Saturday, January 13, 2007

Royal Jelly Inhibits Growth Growth-Promoting Effect of Environmental Estrogen on Cancer Cells

Effect of Royal Jelly on Bisphenol A-Induced Proliferation of Human Breast Cancer Cells
Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Biochemistry, 2007 Jan 7

Royal jelly is known as a functional food containing many useful minerals. In this study, we found an anti-environmental estrogen activity of royal jelly. Bisphenol A (BPA) is an environmental estrogen that stimulates proliferation of human breast cancer MCF-7 cells. Royal jelly inhibited the growth-promoting effect of BPA on MCF-7 cells, even though it did not affect the proliferation of cells in the absence of BPA. In addition, this inhibiting effect of royal jelly was heat-stable.

Friday, January 12, 2007

Manuka Honey Used to Treat MRSA-Infected Wound

Honey..I Saved My Leg
Superbug Beaten By Natural Cure
By Natalie Walker, Glasgow Daily Record (UK), 1/12/2007

PENSIONER Pat Kane reckons that honey is the bees' knees - because it saved his leg from being amputated.

Pat, 76, is back on his feet after he was struck down by the potentially lethal MRSA superbug.

The retired shop owner said last night: "It's a true miracle. I must be the luckiest man in the world."

Pat, who lives in Glasgow's southside, became infected with the bug two weeks after knee replacement surgery at the city's Victoria Infirmary in December 2004.

He was put on a year-long course of strong antibiotics, but they failed to clear the infection.

Last February, a surgeon warned Pat that he could lose his right leg in less than six weeks.

But his brother had a chance conversation with chiropractor Alex Burke, who recommended that he try manuka honey.

The New Zealand honey is an ancient Maori antidote used for curing infections. Pat said: "I tried it straight away. I started applying the honey directly on to the wound and, in less than six weeks, it began healing."…

The Strange Healing Powers of Manuka

Glasgow Daily Record (UK), 1/12/2007

Experts haven't yet managed to identify what exactly gives manuka honey its amazing healing powers.

But the medicinal strengths of the substance have never been in doubt.

All honey contains hydrogen peroxide, which was once used as a wound disinfectant in hospitals.

The ancient Egyptians and Greeks used honey to help heal burns and sores. But manuka honey, costing £12 a jar, seems far more powerful…

Thursday, January 11, 2007

Beeswax Lip Balm Recalled Over Processing Error

Ganache Recalls Beeswax Lip Balms
By Simon Pitman, Cosmetics Design, 1/9/2007
http://www.cosmeticsdesign.com/news/ng.asp?n=73205-ganache-beeswax-quality-recall

1/9/2007 - California-based natural lip balm maker Ganache has announced the recall of a number of its balms following a processing error involving the beeswax it uses in the products.

In a statement the company said that it had inadvertently processed the beeswax at excessively high temperatures. The beeswax wax passed the company's initial quality control measures but it was not detected that the quality of the ingredient was compromised after it was formulated into the lip balm…

Beeswax has become a common ingredient for use in a variety of topical skin care. One of the main proponents has been Burt's Bees, which started off its business selling beeswax candles and then branched out when its first bees wax cosmetics became such a success.

It now supplies a host of natural cosmetic and personal care products, many of which include beeswax as a key ingredient, including its pioneering beeswax lip balms, which rose to incredible popularity on the basis of its strong moisturizing and protective properties.

Formulators are now increasingly adding this ingredient to a host of cosmetic products as a thickener, emulsifier and stiffening agent. Together with its range of functions it has also become increasingly popular in line with the increasing interest in natural based products.

Honey for Health and Happiness

By Chani Blue, Epoch Times, 1/9/2007

In ancient Greek mythology "ambrosia" meant "the food or drink of the gods". In our exploration of the connection between food and the divine, we travel back through history to lost civilisations of the world to understand the many links between food and spirituality.

Honey, made from the sweet golden nectar of flowers and trees, has always had deep connections to God and nature. Honey cannot be created by man, so we rely on the bees to do their magic for us.

Apiculture (the science of bee keeping) dates back to before 700 BC. Ancient Egypt had a particularly strong affiliation with honey, and honey pots have been found in tombs of the honoured dead, as though the honey was a gift to take to the afterlife.

According to an ancient relic in the temple of Ra in Heliopolis, Egypt: "The god Re wept and his tears fell onto the ground and were turned into bees." This verse indicates the belief that the gods had indeed created bees, which in turn make this treasured delicacy. Mention of honey in those times also appears frequently throughout Northern Africa.

Honey was so highly valued in these countries that beehives were kept in the temples, both to satisfy the gods and for the production of medicines and ointments.

Noble women of Egypt used honey for cosmetic purposes and it was also regarded as an aphrodisiac. The Egyptians carved holy figurines and inscriptions out of beeswax. Honey may also have been used in the mummification process due to its anti-bacterial, anti-fungal and anti-viral properties.

Some understand that the mention of honey in the Old Testament was symbolic of all that is pleasant and desirable in life. Eating sliced apples drizzled with honey is a Jewish custom to symbolise wishing for a sweet new year.

In the Hindu faith, it is generally believed that honey gives good health to both the body and mind, and that it helps the body to recover more quickly from illness.

An old Buddhist fable describes how a monkey brought honey to the Buddha Shakyamuni as a gift, and this scene is often depicted in Buddhist art. Honey also has a long history in traditional medicine throughout the world and is applied directly to open wounds, ulcers and burns. Today we still know honey as a soothing treatment for a sore, dry throat and it is an ingredient in natural cough mixture.

With such a long and important history, we can assume that humans have always had a sweet tooth, and honey remains as popular now as ever.

In recent times, Manuka honey has been considered one of nature's super foods for the treatment of toxic ulcers and infections. It comes from the Tea Tree plant located mostly in New Zealand and Australia. Some doctors and scientists believe that Manuka honey's ability to heal may give it the future role of killing super bugs that often infect hospitals…

Tuesday, January 09, 2007

Honey, Propolis Used to Treat Diabetic Foot Wound

Combined Use of Honey, Bee Propolis and Myrrh in Healing a Deep, Infected Wound in a Patient with Diabetes Mellitus
British Journal of Biomedical Science, 2006; 63(4); 171-173

Diabetes mellitus is a group of diseases characterised by high levels of blood glucose resulting from defects in insulin production, insulin action, or both. Diabetes can be associated with serious complications including diabetic foot disease. Diabetic foot disease is estimated to affect 15% of people with diabetes.

1 Wound healing is a process that involves inflammation, proliferation/regeneration and finally remodeling. The normal orderly pattern is disrupted in chronic non-healing wounds, which are characterised by decreased levels of growth factors and increased protease activity. Wound healing is affected by serum albumin, tissue oxygenation, infection, hyperglycaemia, cytokines and proteases.

2 A marker of non-healing wounds may be the prolonged presence of extracellular matrix molecules in the dermis.

3 Other markers and potential mediators include increased levels of transforming growth factor (TGF)-b3,4 proteolytic factors such as matrix metalloproteinases,5 and the absence of IGF-I.6…

Monday, January 08, 2007

Honey and Cinnamon Recommended for a Variety of Ailments

Honey and Cinnamon — A Mixture for Cures
Daily Times Monitor (Pakistan), 1/8/2007

It is found that a mixture of honey and cinnamon cures most diseases. A list of diseases that can be cured by honey and cinnamon as researched by scientists are as follows.

Arthritis: Take one part honey to two parts of luke warm water and add a small teaspoon of cinnamon powder. Make a paste and massage it on the itching part of the body slowly. The pain should recede within fifteen minutes in most cases. Arthritis patients can take one cup of hot water with two spoons of honey and one small teaspoon of cinnamon powder every day. If drunk regularly, even chronic arthritis can be cured...

Toothache: Make a paste of one teaspoon of cinnamon powder and five teaspoons of honey, and apply on the aching tooth. This may be done 3 times a day (daily) till such time, that the tooth has stopped aching.

Cholesterol: Two tablespoons of honey and three teaspoons of cinnamon powder mixed in 16 ounces of tea, when given to a cholesterol patient, reduces the level of cholesterol in the blood by 10% within 2 hours. As mentioned for arthritic patients - If taken 3 times a day, it lowers the cholesterol level. As per the information received in a Medical Journal, pure honey taken with food daily relieves complaints of cholesterol...

Stomach upset: Honey taken with cinnamon powder cures stomach ache and also clears stomach ulcers from the root. For gas, according to the studies done in India and Japan, it is revealed that honey, if taken with cinnamon powder, relieves gas and pain in the stomach...

Indigestion: Cinnamon powder sprinkled on 2 tablespoons of honey taken before food, relieves acidity and digests the heaviest of meals...

Pimples: Take three tablespoons of honey and one teaspoon of cinnamon powder paste. Apply this paste on the pimples before sleeping and wash it the next morning with warm water. If done daily for two weeks, it removes pimples from the root.

Weight loss: Every morning, on an empty stomach, half an hour before breakfast, and again at night before sleeping, drink honey and cinnamon powder boiled in one cup water. If taken regularly it reduces the weight of even the most obese person. Also drinking of this mixture regularly does not allow the fat to accumulate in the body, even though the person may eat a high calorie diet...

Bad breath: The first thing in the morning people gargle with one teaspoon of honey and cinnamon powder mixed in hot water.

Sunday, January 07, 2007

Writer Tries Beeswax ‘Ear Candling’

Candle with Care
By Chris Bohjalian, Burlington Free Press (USA), 1/7/2006

I am not sure whether this says more about me or about the people with whom I associate, but suddenly I am surrounded by ear candlers. In November, the fiancee of novelist Steve Berry told me that Steve enjoyed having his ears candled. He said this was true, (though, in all fairness, he said it sheepishly). In December, a reader introduced herself to me in Middlebury and asked me if I ever had my ears candled. And then for Christmas, my in-laws gave me a pack of Wally's Herbal Beeswax Ear Candles

An ear candle, for those of you who lead normal lives, is a hollow, ivory-colored candle that tapers at one end to a blunt point. You place the small end in your ear and then light the wide end. As the candle burns down, it -- and here I am quoting from the directions -- "helps soften old, hardened earwax and assists the body to excrete excess earwax." The lighted end is far enough from the ear that even if you are a middle-aged man with bear fur in your ears -- whole hair topiaries emerging like button mushrooms in the spring -- it's unlikely you will set your head on fire, (though, I have to assume, that, too, would soften old, hardened earwax).

When I looked at the ear candles, my first thought was, "This is strange." My second? A quote from astronaut Alan Shepard as he sat high atop a Redstone rocket and waited to be shot into space in 1961: "Light this candle!"…

The procedure took 10 minutes. At first it felt like I was holding a wide Q-Tip in my ear. After a moment, however, I heard what sounded like low-level static, a lulling and not unpleasant fuzz. When my wife extinguished the candle, we inspected what was inside the remains of the hollow taper…

Saturday, January 06, 2007

Honey May Help Treat Dry Eye Problems

Investigators Publish New Data in the Report "Effect of Antibacterial Honey on the Ocular Flora in Tear Deficiency and Meibomian Gland Disease
Drug Week, January 12, 2007

In this recent article published in the journal Cornea, scientists in Brisbane, Australia conducted a study "To assess for differences in the ocular flora of patients with dry eye caused by tear deficiency and/or meibomian gland disease and to assess the effect of antibacterial honey on the ocular flora in these forms of dry eye.

In this prospective, open-label pilot study, bacteria isolated from the eyelid margin and conjunctiva were identified and quantified before and at 1 and 3 months after initiation of treatment with topical application of antibacterial honey 3 times daily…

The total colony-forming units (CFUs) isolated from each of the dry eye subgroups before antibacterial honey use was significantly greater than the total CFU isolated from the non-dry eye group. Antibacterial honey use significantly reduced total CFUs for the eyelids and the conjunctiva of dry eye subjects..

The researchers concluded: "At month 3, there were reductions in total CFUs for all dry eye subgroups such that the CFUs were not significantly different from those of the non-dry eye group. From these results, there is sufficient preliminary data to warrant further study of the effects of antibacterial honey in chronic ocular surface diseases."

Friday, January 05, 2007

U.S. Family Uses Bee Venom to Treat Father’s MS

Young Caregivers: Parents Turn to Children for Help
By Clare Ansberry, The Wall Street Journal (USA), 1/5/2007

PAULDING, Ohio -- Every morning, at about 6, Jordan Wilhelm goes into his parents' room to lift his father out of bed…

Paul Wilhelm, 55 years old, has multiple sclerosis, a progressive and chronic condition. Though his wife, Sue, works two jobs, the family can't afford someone to help care for him. Mrs. Wilhelm looked into it a few years ago. The going rate was $15 an hour, she says, twice what she was earning at the time and not covered by insurance. So she and her husband have come to rely on their children.

Many parents do. Across the country, children go about providing home health care to parents, grandparents or other relatives…

Jordan Wilhelm, the Ohio high-schooler who lifts his dad out of bed each day, never knew his father when he was healthy. Neither did his two older sisters…

Mrs. Wilhelm took a job at a factory which provided health insurance. The insurance helped pay for treatment, including injections and steroids. But none offered lasting improvement. When a friend suggested an alternative therapy that would require the family's involvement, the children volunteered.

The man, who raised bees just outside of town, sent them a book called "Health and the Honeybee" describing how bee venom was used to treat diseases. Three times a week, the children -- then ranging from 8 to 11 -- went with their father to the farm. The girls took 20 live bees, impaled on pins, and stuck them into their father's legs, so the bees would sting him and release venom. Jordan's job was to remove the stinger with a razor. It was frightening, but "I did it because I thought it would make dad better," says Valerie, now 20.

Almost immediately, Mr. Wilhelm, who had been slurring words, began speaking clearly, which the bee farmer and family attributed to medicinal powers in the venom. The family rejoiced. But after several months, Mr. Wilhelm's legs began swelling and his doctor said the venom was poisoning him...

Thursday, January 04, 2007

57 Percent Growth for Comvita’s Honey Wound Care Business

Busy Bees Push Comvita to View World Market
Hawke's Bay Today (New Zealand), 1/4/2006

Comvita Limited started production of its honey and bee products as early as the 1920s when co-founder Claude Stratford (then aged 11) began experimenting with manuka honey and bee pollen from his first beehive.

It wasn't until the 1970s that Comvita's products were launched on the New Zealand market, led by Stratford and other co-founder Alan Bougen.

Exports to the United Kingdom and the USA began in 1989, and the following year markets were established throughout Asia. After being listed on the Unlisted Market for a year Comvita joined the NZAX (NZ Stock Exchange Alternative Market) in November 2003.

In April 2004 7.5 million new shares were offered to existing shareholders at $2.05 per share to strengthen the company's balance sheet.

Comvita's core line of products is focussed around the natural healing properties and antibacterial benefits of manuka honey, bee propolis, and bee pollen. The range of products continues to expand through a strong focus on product innovation and a commitment to research and development.

As part of the company's growth strategy it has been diversifying into other areas of the natural health products market.

The purchase of New Zealand based natural health product's company NZ Vitalife has seen Comvita's strategy to expand the proportion of non-bee natural health products in its overall product range realised. In acquiring NZ Vitalife, Comvita has added new intellectual property and a focused range of New Zealand sourced herbal products with markets established in New Zealand and the United Kingdom.

Significant value to the acquisition can be added by marketing NZ Vitalife's product range under the Comvita umbrella brand and sold into Comvita's international marketing channels.

The $250,000 purchase involved a mix of cash and Comvita shares.

The company's programme of growth through acquisition has also included offshore investments. In February 2006 a long-term exclusive deal was signed with US based Derma Sciences. Comvita has taken a strategic stake in the manufacturer and supplier of specialist wound care products. An initial stake was purchased in February for US$500,000, followed by an additional US$1.0million (1,666,000 shares).

The investment will give Comvita a total stakeholding in Derma Sciences' of approximately 10 percent of the company (including attached warrants being exercised). Comvita's wound care business (UMF Manuka Honey products) has experienced 57 percent growth, which should continue with stronger marketing channels into the US…

Wednesday, January 03, 2007

Honey and Bee-Collected Pollen May Help Treat Hay Fever

New Contenders are Vying to Become This Year's Fruity Superfoods
The Evening Standard (UK), 1/3/2007

This time of year is when we most need superfoods, something to bolster those easily made (and just as easily broken) resolutions. This year the contenders are goji berries, acai berries, acerola cherries, and making a comeback, rare honey

Honey has always been a health food, but recent studies have shown that Manuka honey (honey from countries such as New Zealand where the bees can feed on tea tree blossom) has healing properties, and that taking small amounts of honey mixed with bee pollen to build up resistance can give some sufferers relief from hay fever…

For rare and medicinal honeys it is hard to beat a trip to the Hive honey shop

Tuesday, January 02, 2007

Standardised Protocols Needed for Use of Honey as Antibacterial Dressing

Choosing an Appropriate Antibacterial Dressing
Nursing Times, 2006 Oct 31-Nov 6;102(44):46, 48-9

The number of different wound dressings has increased considerably in recent years and this has made selecting a dressing for a specific wound more complicated. A variety of concepts have been devised to structure and simplify the process involved in selecting a wound dressing, including the concept of wound bed preparation (WBP).

WBP was first described by Falanga (2000) and Sibbald et al (2000). Falanga (2000) explained that the concept was needed because ‘even the most advanced and sophisticated products require proper wound care and wound bed preparation’. Without adequate preparation of the wound bed it is likely that any product (which may well be expensive) will fail and the clinician will lose confidence in its efficacy…

There are a wide range of antimicrobial dressings available that contain different antimicrobial agents, including silver, iodine and honey…

Types of antimicrobial dressings

Honey

Most research carried out on honey has focused on the role of manuka honey, which, like most honeys, releases hydrogen peroxide but is also believed to have an additional antimicrobial agent known as the unique manuka factor (UMF) (Gethin and Cowman, 2005). It is widely claimed that honey is able to deodorise and debride wounds and these additional properties may be particularly beneficial in infected wounds. There are no standardised protocols for the frequency with which honey should be applied and the type of secondary dressing that should be used (Gethin and Cowman, 2005)…