Antimicrobial Bee Venom Peptide Identified

Melectin: A Novel Antimicrobial Peptide from the Venom of the Cleptoparasitic Bee Melecta albifrons
ChemBioChem, Published Online: 22 Oct 2008

A novel antimicrobial peptide designated melectin was isolated from the venom of the cleptoparasitic bee Melecta albifrons…

Synthetic melectin exhibited antimicrobial activity against both Gram-positive and -negative bacteria and it degranulated rat peritoneal mast cells, but its hemolytic activity was low…

Brazilian Law Will Designate Propolis as ‘Medicine’

Brazil Secretly Attempting to Sink Its Natural Products Industry
Alliance for Natural Health, 10/29/2008

It is increasingly looking like the Brazilian government's current attempt to medicalise natural products could be one of the most damaging regulatory changes for a natural products industry to occur in any country.

To some, the strength of the Brazilian pharmaceutical industry, and Brazil's incredibly rich natural product heritage, especially linked to the rainforests, makes Brazil an ideal target for hugely draconian legislation. The proposed changes, unless stopped, will put the control of natural products ultimately in the hands of the pharmaceutical industry.

The targeting of bee products

Up to 700 companies that comprise a thriving bee products industry will be impacted, many fatally, if the regulatory changes go through as planned on 1 January 2009.

These regulatory changes will directly affect all forms of propolis that have shown staggering results in supporting the immune system, as well as acting as an adjunct to natural or integrative cancer therapies.

The regulations make any propolis product sold in capsule or tablet a medicine—a regime that is cost prohibitive to the vast majority of natural product manufacturers that are based on small businesses…

Colony Collapse Disorder Threatens Supplies of Honey, Beeswax, Royal Jelly

The Beauty World Minds Its Beeswax
By Caroline Brien, Financial Times (UK), 11/1/2008

You don’t have to be a loyal member of the British Bee Keeping Association to realise that the humble honeybee is in jeopardy. Colony Collapse Disorder, a phenomenon that has seen the bee population diminish rapidly in recent years, is a phenomenon that has been well-publicised. But a side effect of CCD that you may not have considered is the threat it poses to the beauty industry.

Bees and beauty might not at first glance appear to go hand in hand. Yet honey and royal jelly are, thanks to their hydrating and nourishing properties, a fundamental component of many beauty products. Beeswax, meanwhile, forms the basis of several lip balms; and cult buys such as Liz Earle’s Superbalm, Ren’s Acacia Blossom Honey Lip Balm and the Burt’s Bees range – a brand built entirely on harnessing the nourishing properties of honey, beeswax and royal jelly – would not exist without the hard work of the honeybee…

Functional Properties of Honey, Propolis, and Royal Jelly

Journal of Food Science, Published Online: 21 Oct 2008

Honey, propolis, and royal jelly, products originating in the beehive, are attractive ingredients for healthy foods.

Honey has been used since ancient times as part of traditional medicine. Several aspects of this use indicate that it also has functions such as antibacterial, antioxidant, antitumor, anti-inflamatory, antibrowning, and antiviral.

Propolis is a resinous substance produced by honeybees. This substance has been used in folk medicine since ancient times, due to its many biological properties to possess, such as antitumor, antioxidant, antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, and immunomodulatory effects, among others.

Royal jelly has been demonstrated to possess numerous functional properties such as antibacterial activity, anti-inflammatory activity, vasodilative and hypotensive activities, disinfectant action, antioxidant activity, antihypercholesterolemic activity, and antitumor activity.

Biological activities of honey, propolis, and royal jelly are mainly attributed to the phenolic compounds such as flavonoids. Flavonoids have been reported to exhibit a wide range of biological activities, including antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antiallergic, and vasodilatory actions. In addition, flavonoids inhibit lipid peroxidation, platelet aggregation, capillary permeability and fragility, and the activity of enzyme systems including cyclo-oxygenase and lipoxygenase.

New Zealand Project to Promote Medicinal Honey

What a Bee-autiful Idea ... Use Scrub to Make Millions
By Rosemary Roberts, The Northern Advocate (New Zealand), 10/31/2008

The Far North's manuka scrublands - once seen as worthless wasteland - could instead create 200 jobs and millions of dollars a year in sales as the region taps into world's most sought-after honey.

Long-term the rewards could be even greater, with Far North iwi looking to cash in on the honey's anti-bacterial properties. The ultimate aim is a centre of excellence in Kaitaia based on manuka's special medicinal qualities and capitalising on the high levels of bioactive compounds in Northland manuka honey.

Think a college for beekeepers, a manufacturing plant to process medical-grade honey and make manuka-based medical products; a laboratory to develop new medical products; and large-scale production of manuka to plant as a "nurse" for slow-growing plantations of kauri and totara…

Enterprise Northland chief executive Brian Roberts said an even greater opportunity was that the venture could break into the international market for manuka-infused bandages to treat wounds and fight "superbugs". Manuka was more effective, cleaner, greener and safer than the present alternatives, the main one being silver-infused bandages…

Cuban Propolis Exhibits Anti-Tumor Activity

The Contribution of Plukenetione A to the Anti-Tumoral Activity of Cuban Propolis
Bioorganic & Medicinal Chemistry, Article in Press

Increasing efforts are directed toward finding applications for natural products and their derivatives in the treatment of human diseases. Among such products, propolis, a resinous substance produced by honey bees from various plant sources, has been found to be a promising source of potential therapeutics.

In the present work, we aimed at studying the perspective of Cuban propolis as a source of possible anti-cancer agents. We found an anti-metastatic effect in mice and considerable cytotoxicity without cross-resistance in both wild-type and chemoresistant human tumor cell lines.

Plukenetione A—identified for the first time in Cuban propolis—induced G0/G1 arrest and DNA fragmentation in colon carcinoma cells. Furthermore, the activities of both topoisomerase I and DNA polymerase were inhibited, while the expression of topoisomerase II-beta, EGF receptor, and multidrug resistance-related protein genes was found repressed.

We assume that plukenetione A contributes to the anti-tumoral effect of Cuban propolis mainly by targeting topoisomerase I as well as DNA polymerase.

Honey a Cheap, Effective Hair Conditioner

The Healthy Hair Benefits of Honey!
By Gennifer Miller, Black Voices, 10/29/2008

If you are looking to add moisture and manageability to your hair, try honey! Its cheap, effective and can really improve the condition of your hair over time. Honey is a natural humectant, which means it attracts and holds on to water molecules, making a great treatment for dry, damaged hair.

For a deep conditioning boost, add a tablespoon of honey and oil to your conditioner and let penetrate for 20-30 minutes. Rinse thoroughly with warm water. Despite its sticky texture, the honey treatment will rinse easily from the hair, as long as you are using equal parts of honey and oil…

‘Herbhoneys’ Have Properties Similar to Natural Honey

Physicochemical Properties and Quality Parameters of Herbhoneys
Food Chemistry, Volume 113, Issue 2, 15 March 2009, Pages 538-542

Herbhoney is a honey-like substance produced by bees fed on a saccharose-based food supplemented with herbal extracts or fruit juices. Having specific sensory characteristics (colour, aroma and taste), different from those of natural honeys, herbhoneys greatly extend the range of bee products.

With the aim of improving the knowledge of herbhoneys of various origins, their chosen physicochemical and quality parameters were evaluated. It was found that the herbhoneys studied satisfied most of the requirements relative to natural honeys (water, hydroxymethylfurfural and saccharose contents, free acidity, and diastase number).

Some of the samples showed an increased specific conductivity, characteristic of honeydew honeys, although the ash contents of herbhoneys were at a level typical of nectar honeys. The saccharose content of some herbhoneys exceeded the value allowed for most natural honeys. Mineral composition varied between the samples, being in most cases within the limits reported in this literature for natural honeys.

Ugandan President Urges Honey, Propolis Production

Reap from Honey — Museveni
By John Kasozi, New Vision, 10/28/2008

President Yoweri Museveni has advised African countries to take advantage of the $3b world honey market trade.

Addressing participants at the launch of Honey Trade Africa (ApiTrade) at a conference at Hotel Africana in Kampala last week, the President said regional honey trade was in line with regional integration. “We need to come together and support these regional groups to flourish. Africa produces rich honey for export but this goes unrecognised all over the world. ApiTrade will recognise our honey,” he said…

“If every homestead had 20 Kenyan Top Bars (KTB) and was extracting 20kgs per season and per hive three times a year, it would earn a good fortune. This would be in addition to bee wax and propolis. Each homestead would earn over sh7m per year.”…

Propolis Protects Against Pesticide Toxicity

Effecs of Cypermethrin on Some Biochemical Changes in Rats: The Protective Role of Propolis
Exp Anim, 2008 Oct;57(5):453-60

Twenty eight female Wistar rats weighing 150-200 g were used in this study and these animals were divided into 4 groups, each comprising 7 rats. The first group served as the control group, and groups 2, 3, and 4 were administered a single dose of 250 mg/kg.bw propolis, a single dose of 125 mg/kg.bw (1/2LD(50)) cypermethrin, and a single dose of 125 mg/kg.bw cypermethrin followed by a single dose of 250 mg/kg.bw propolis 30 min later, per os using a catheter, respectively.

Twenty-four hours after propolis administration, blood and tissue (liver, kidney, and brain) samples were collected. Serum glucose, triglyceride, uric acid, cholesterol, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activities/levels, plasma and tissue malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, and erythrocyte and tissue superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities were determined.

Compared to group 1, significant increases in plasma and tissue MDA levels and kidney GSH-Px activity, and significant decreases in erythrocyte SOD and CAT, liver SOD and GSH-Px, kidney SOD and brain SOD, CAT and GSH-Px activities were determined in group 3. Compared to group 1, a significant increase in glucose and a significant decrease in triglyceride levels were determined in group 3. Values pertaining to group 4 were demonstrated to be closer to those of group 1.

Bee Product Helps Fight Cancer

By Karla Akuhata, Waikato Times (New Zealand), 10/28/2008

A bee-derived product manufactured by Manuka Health New Zealand, in Te Awamutu, is helping international researchers in the fight against cancer.

The team of researchers is using Bio 30 propolis, produced in the Te Awamutu factory, in a trial investigating the effects of propolis on tumour growth in cancer patients.

The team, led by Melbourne-based cancer researcher Hiroshi Maruta, is several months into testing Bio 30 propolis on 70 neurofibromatosis, melanoma and pancreatic cancer sufferers. Neurofiromatosis is a set of genetic disorders which cause tumours to grow along various types of nerves and can affect the development of non-nervous tissue such as bone and skin. In severe cases the disorder affects nerves throughout the body, including the brain and spinal cord.

Progress of the trial has been reported by the research team in a paper published in Wiley InterSciences Phytotherapy Research. According to the research, most patients have shown no further growth in their tumours…

Propolis Gel May Help Prevent Oral Infections

Effects of Nystatin, Fluconazole and Propolis on Poly(Methyl Methacrylate) Resin Surface
Braz Dent J, 2008;19(3):190-6

The prevalence of candidosis in denture wearers is as well established as its treatment with antifungal agents (AAs). However, little research has been done regarding the effects of AAs on denture base surfaces. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of fluconazole (FLU), nystatin (NYS) and propolis orabase gel (PRO) on poly (methyl-methacrylate) (PMMA) surfaces…

In conclusion, PRO was able to induce changes in PMMA surface properties, such as roughness, which could be related to microbial adhesion.

Research Papers Sought for Apitherapy Journal, Conference

Original research papers are being sought for the new Journal of ApiProduct and ApiMedical Science and for the 7th German Apitherapy Congress, Expo and Workshops to be held in Passau, Germany, on March 26-31, 2009.

The Journal of ApiProduct and ApiMedical Science will publish original research articles, original theoretical papers, notes, comments and authoritative reviews. It covers the relevant properties or substances of the six hive products honey, pollen, propolis, wax, royal jelly, and bee venom. Special attention will be given to biological and health properties. The journal will also cover studies concerning biological and medical effects of bee products in experiments with animal and humans.

E-mail original research articles, notes and comments or reviews for the Journal of ApiProduct and ApiMedical Science to jaas@ibra.org.uk.

For information on submitting presentations for the 7th German Apitherapy Congress, contact Dr. Stefan Stangaciu at drstangaciu@apitherapy.com.

‘Significant Correlations’ Between Honey Antioxidant Activity and Phenolic Content

Evaluation of Antioxidant Activity, Phenolic, Mineral Contents and Some Physicochemical Properties of Several Pine Honeys Collected from Western Anatolia
Int J Food Sci Nutr, 2008 Oct 23:1-13

In this study, the qualities of 15 red pine honey samples from different parts of the Muğla province in Turkey were evaluated…

Pine honey samples also were analyzed for total phenolic contents and antioxidant activity. The antioxidant activities were evaluated based on the ability of the pine honey extracts to scavenge 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl.

Significant correlations were obtained between the antioxidant activity and phenolic content…

Honey Bees Taught to Count

Honey bees can be trained to count up to four, Queensland researchers have found
The Australian, 10/26/2008

Professor Mandyam Srinivasan (Mandyam Srinivasan) from the University of Queensland's Brain Research Institute today said the research also had shown bees could learn colours and smells and be trained to fly through complicated mazes.

One experiment in which landmarks were placed at frequent intervals in flight tunnels showed the tiny insects could be trained to differentiate between up to four separate landmarks before becoming confused.

"If you train them to the first landmark and then test them they will go to the first landmark,'' Prof Srinivasan.

"If you train them to the second one they will then search at the second one, and so one.''

But Prof Srinivasan said the honey bees could not perform if there were more than four landmarks.
"If you test them beyond four then they have trouble.''

He said a "gut feeling'' told him that he and fellow researcher Dr Marie Dacke would find the bees recognised any number beyond four as "many''…