Reproductive Responses in Ewes Treated with eCG or Increasing Doses of Royal Jelly
Animal Reproduction Science, Volume 92, Issues 1-2 , March 2006, Pages 75-85
Abstract: This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of administering increasing doses of royal jelly (RJ) on reproductive parameters in ewes. Additionally, this study compared using RJ vs. equine chorionic gonadotropin (eCG) in estrous cycle control. . .Lambing rate was higher (P < 0.05) in the RJ500 group compared with controls. . .
Results of the present study demonstrate that eCG but not RJ was effective in improving estrus expression in ewes during the transition between the non-breeding and breeding seasons. Royal jelly may be effective in improving pregnancy and lambing rates but further studies are required to confirm such findings.
Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Beekeeping as Manna for Nigeria
Vanguard (Nigeria), 1/31/2006
. . .Everything in a bee hive can give you money; from honey to propolis and even the bee sting that people run away from, provides good health for the bee keeper and his friends who appreciate the healing virtues of bee therapy.
Another unique feature of beekeeping is that unlike other aspects of agriculture like poultry which generate one or two products, in beekeeping you could get honey, propolis and pollen to sell. Then the good health which the beekeeper derives from the business is another reward for him. This is why I have described investment in beekeeping like investment that is close to manna. . .
. . .Everything in a bee hive can give you money; from honey to propolis and even the bee sting that people run away from, provides good health for the bee keeper and his friends who appreciate the healing virtues of bee therapy.
Another unique feature of beekeeping is that unlike other aspects of agriculture like poultry which generate one or two products, in beekeeping you could get honey, propolis and pollen to sell. Then the good health which the beekeeper derives from the business is another reward for him. This is why I have described investment in beekeeping like investment that is close to manna. . .
Monday, January 30, 2006
More Media Coverage of Honey as Diet Aid
Sleep Your Way Slim
By Victoria Kennedy, The Mirror (UK), 1/30/2006
DARK nights make it really tempting to slink off to bed early and miss out on that visit to the gym.
But there's good news. According to the Hibernation Diet, you can lose a pound a day - while you snooze.
A new book, by nutrition experts Mike and Stuart McInnes and Maggie Stanfield, says the body burns more fat asleep than in heavy aerobic exercise. . .
A key ingredient of the diet is a spoonful of honey. It's the food we can most easily convert into glycogen - and this allows the release of hormones that repair the body and burn fat. . .
By Victoria Kennedy, The Mirror (UK), 1/30/2006
DARK nights make it really tempting to slink off to bed early and miss out on that visit to the gym.
But there's good news. According to the Hibernation Diet, you can lose a pound a day - while you snooze.
A new book, by nutrition experts Mike and Stuart McInnes and Maggie Stanfield, says the body burns more fat asleep than in heavy aerobic exercise. . .
A key ingredient of the diet is a spoonful of honey. It's the food we can most easily convert into glycogen - and this allows the release of hormones that repair the body and burn fat. . .
Apitherapy Seminar in Toronto, Canada
Healing with Bee Products
When: Saturday, February 18, 2006, 2-3:30 p.m.
Where: Foodshare, 200 Eastern Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Topics covered will include healing with propolis, royal jelly, bee venom, honey, bee-collected pollen, and beeswax. Pamphlets and samples of bee products will be provided.
For more information, contact Oliver Couto, e-mail: imaginaryaxis@hotmail.com Tel: 416-232-2225
When: Saturday, February 18, 2006, 2-3:30 p.m.
Where: Foodshare, 200 Eastern Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Topics covered will include healing with propolis, royal jelly, bee venom, honey, bee-collected pollen, and beeswax. Pamphlets and samples of bee products will be provided.
For more information, contact Oliver Couto, e-mail: imaginaryaxis@hotmail.com Tel: 416-232-2225
Sunday, January 29, 2006
Photo of Indonesian Apitherapist
Reuters, 1/28/2006
Muntoyib, an Indonesian bee-sting therapist, places a live honeybee on to his patient's skin in Jakarta January 28, 2006. Although the therapy is scientifically unproven and needs more studying, the popularity of bee-sting therapy, the use of bee venom from live stinging bees to treat chronic pain, is on the rise.
Muntoyib, an Indonesian bee-sting therapist, places a live honeybee on to his patient's skin in Jakarta January 28, 2006. Although the therapy is scientifically unproven and needs more studying, the popularity of bee-sting therapy, the use of bee venom from live stinging bees to treat chronic pain, is on the rise.
BVT Used to Reduce Symptoms of MS
Relief Outweighs Stings for Area Woman
By Jeff Martin, Morning Journal (USA), 1/28/2006
Suffering from multiple sclerosis for more than a decade, Davis uses bee venom as medicinal therapy. And since 1996, after a car accident aggravated her MS symptoms, the use of bee venom three times per week has reduced her physical afflictions such as blindness, deafness and fatigue dramatically.
While the practice may sound alien to most, the act of treating various sicknesses and maladies like arthritis, MS and other aches and pains with bee venom has ancient origins. The venom contains 18 active substances, many of which contain significant potency to abate many physical conditions.
Most prevalent is the substance melittin, an anti-inflammatory agent significantly more potent that hydrocortisol. Helping with MS symptoms are the neurotransmitters Dophamine, Norepinephrine and Seratonin.
Organizations like The American Apitherapy Society support the practice, as do local beekeepers, some of whom have appeared before local governmental bodies asking that ordinances prohibiting beekeeping be modified or, at best, dismissed entirely. . .
By Jeff Martin, Morning Journal (USA), 1/28/2006
Suffering from multiple sclerosis for more than a decade, Davis uses bee venom as medicinal therapy. And since 1996, after a car accident aggravated her MS symptoms, the use of bee venom three times per week has reduced her physical afflictions such as blindness, deafness and fatigue dramatically.
While the practice may sound alien to most, the act of treating various sicknesses and maladies like arthritis, MS and other aches and pains with bee venom has ancient origins. The venom contains 18 active substances, many of which contain significant potency to abate many physical conditions.
Most prevalent is the substance melittin, an anti-inflammatory agent significantly more potent that hydrocortisol. Helping with MS symptoms are the neurotransmitters Dophamine, Norepinephrine and Seratonin.
Organizations like The American Apitherapy Society support the practice, as do local beekeepers, some of whom have appeared before local governmental bodies asking that ordinances prohibiting beekeeping be modified or, at best, dismissed entirely. . .
Saturday, January 28, 2006
Bee Venom Therapy Used for Muscular Dystrophy
Do 18 Stings a Day Heep the Doctors Away?
By Benjamin Malakoff, St. Cloud Times (USA), 1/15/2006
SAUK RAPIDS — By August 1999, muscular dystrophy had so severely sapped Kevin Lovitz's muscles that the Sauk Rapids teen-ager hadn't so much as rolled over in bed by himself for a year and a half.
Diagnosed at 6½, Lovitz, 18, was in a wheelchair by 11 and was expected to be gone by now.
But Kevin and his family believe he has been granted extra time by enduring more than 20,000 honeybee stings.
Yes, you read that correctly.
The Lovitzes practice apitherapy, the therapeutic use of bee products such as honey, pollen, beeswax and bee venom for health and healing.
While considered alternative medicine, apitherapy has grown in popularity in the past century. The first World Apitherapy Day is March 30. . .
Kevin has Duchenne muscular dystrophy, one of 36 types of the disease. It is caused by the body's inability to produce the protein dystrophin, which helps produce and maintain skeletal and cardiac muscle. While the bee stings he's endured for the past seven years never stop hurting, they have provided hope to a family who was told there was none. . .
In the spring, Kevin will graduate from Sauk Rapids-Rice High School. His plans thereafter are undecided, but he's grateful to be here. And he may owe a lot of it to the bees.
By Benjamin Malakoff, St. Cloud Times (USA), 1/15/2006
SAUK RAPIDS — By August 1999, muscular dystrophy had so severely sapped Kevin Lovitz's muscles that the Sauk Rapids teen-ager hadn't so much as rolled over in bed by himself for a year and a half.
Diagnosed at 6½, Lovitz, 18, was in a wheelchair by 11 and was expected to be gone by now.
But Kevin and his family believe he has been granted extra time by enduring more than 20,000 honeybee stings.
Yes, you read that correctly.
The Lovitzes practice apitherapy, the therapeutic use of bee products such as honey, pollen, beeswax and bee venom for health and healing.
While considered alternative medicine, apitherapy has grown in popularity in the past century. The first World Apitherapy Day is March 30. . .
Kevin has Duchenne muscular dystrophy, one of 36 types of the disease. It is caused by the body's inability to produce the protein dystrophin, which helps produce and maintain skeletal and cardiac muscle. While the bee stings he's endured for the past seven years never stop hurting, they have provided hope to a family who was told there was none. . .
In the spring, Kevin will graduate from Sauk Rapids-Rice High School. His plans thereafter are undecided, but he's grateful to be here. And he may owe a lot of it to the bees.
Bee Pollen Used for Back Pain
This Class is for the ‘Bees’
Robert Felton, Austin Weekly News (USA), 1/25/2006
Carl Johnson has suffered from back pain for a number of years. Nothing the 63-year-old did to try to ease his pain seemed to work.
As he was searching for something to help, he happened across an old book in his collection about Bees and how their pollen can be used to improve human’s health. Johnson took a shot, and started taking pollen.
"I read about all of the health benefits of bee pollen and about how it aids in the healing of injuries of this nature. I started taking bee pollen five years ago and now I feel as good as I ever have," said Johnson. " I certainly [don’t feel] 63 years old." . . .
Robert Felton, Austin Weekly News (USA), 1/25/2006
Carl Johnson has suffered from back pain for a number of years. Nothing the 63-year-old did to try to ease his pain seemed to work.
As he was searching for something to help, he happened across an old book in his collection about Bees and how their pollen can be used to improve human’s health. Johnson took a shot, and started taking pollen.
"I read about all of the health benefits of bee pollen and about how it aids in the healing of injuries of this nature. I started taking bee pollen five years ago and now I feel as good as I ever have," said Johnson. " I certainly [don’t feel] 63 years old." . . .
Friday, January 27, 2006
Excerpts from Wall Street Journal Article on Bee Venom Therapy
Aches & Claims: Now This May Sting a Bit...
By Laura Johannes, The Wall Street Journal, 1/24/2006
Can bee venom take the sting out of maladies ranging from arthritis to multiple sclerosis? Apitherapists -- who use bee products to treat ailments -- believe the venom from bee stings can alleviate pain and inflammation. So far, experts say scientific evidence for the claims is thin.
Bee venom has been used in medicine for thousands of years. Today, interest in venom as an arthritis treatment has intensified since the painkiller Vioxx was found to increase risks of heart attack and stroke and was pulled from the market in 2004. Venom is also used for pain from wounds or scars and for multiple sclerosis, an autoimmune disease. And it is used to treat the aftermath of shingles, a severe viral rash that can result in lingering pain. . .
Venom contains hundreds of components -- including about 20 large proteins, says Donald Hoffman, a scientist East Carolina University in Greenville, N.C. Some of the ingredients do have pharmacological effects, he says. For example, one component is widely known for its activity in blocking nerve centers. And studies have found that bee venom reduces inflammation in rats. . .
Many apitherapists seek to minimize risk by keeping epinephrine, an antidote to allergic reactions, on hand for emergencies. Theodore Cherbuliez, a South Freeport, Maine, psychiatrist who also performs bee-venom therapy, says that after therapy, many patients experience significant swelling. It is generally harmless and goes away within a week, say he and other experts. . .
Evidence that bee venom is useful for humans is scant. There are no major published U.S. human trials on arthritis. For multiple sclerosis, some hopes were dashed by a study published last month in the journal Neurology. The 26-patient test found that stings with up to 20 live bees three times a week for six months caused no serious side effects -- but they also didn't reduce disease activity, disability or fatigue. Apitherapists say the study results are meaningless because the researchers administered the stings on the upper leg, rather than at strategically placed locations as apitherapists do.
Another smaller study published last month found five of the nine multiple-sclerosis patients treated with bee venom injections appeared to improve while the others experienced a worsening in their condition. Senior study author Joseph Bellanti, director of the International Immunology Center at Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington, says he thinks venom merits further study, but says patients shouldn't try it on their own unless proven remedies, such as beta interferon, have failed.
Send comments to: feedback@wsj.com and wsj.ltrs@wsj.com
By Laura Johannes, The Wall Street Journal, 1/24/2006
Can bee venom take the sting out of maladies ranging from arthritis to multiple sclerosis? Apitherapists -- who use bee products to treat ailments -- believe the venom from bee stings can alleviate pain and inflammation. So far, experts say scientific evidence for the claims is thin.
Bee venom has been used in medicine for thousands of years. Today, interest in venom as an arthritis treatment has intensified since the painkiller Vioxx was found to increase risks of heart attack and stroke and was pulled from the market in 2004. Venom is also used for pain from wounds or scars and for multiple sclerosis, an autoimmune disease. And it is used to treat the aftermath of shingles, a severe viral rash that can result in lingering pain. . .
Venom contains hundreds of components -- including about 20 large proteins, says Donald Hoffman, a scientist East Carolina University in Greenville, N.C. Some of the ingredients do have pharmacological effects, he says. For example, one component is widely known for its activity in blocking nerve centers. And studies have found that bee venom reduces inflammation in rats. . .
Many apitherapists seek to minimize risk by keeping epinephrine, an antidote to allergic reactions, on hand for emergencies. Theodore Cherbuliez, a South Freeport, Maine, psychiatrist who also performs bee-venom therapy, says that after therapy, many patients experience significant swelling. It is generally harmless and goes away within a week, say he and other experts. . .
Evidence that bee venom is useful for humans is scant. There are no major published U.S. human trials on arthritis. For multiple sclerosis, some hopes were dashed by a study published last month in the journal Neurology. The 26-patient test found that stings with up to 20 live bees three times a week for six months caused no serious side effects -- but they also didn't reduce disease activity, disability or fatigue. Apitherapists say the study results are meaningless because the researchers administered the stings on the upper leg, rather than at strategically placed locations as apitherapists do.
Another smaller study published last month found five of the nine multiple-sclerosis patients treated with bee venom injections appeared to improve while the others experienced a worsening in their condition. Senior study author Joseph Bellanti, director of the International Immunology Center at Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington, says he thinks venom merits further study, but says patients shouldn't try it on their own unless proven remedies, such as beta interferon, have failed.
Send comments to: feedback@wsj.com and wsj.ltrs@wsj.com
Royal Jelly Now Produced in Italy
Made in Italy: Royal Jelly, 100 Pct Guaranteed
AGI, 1/26/2006
(AGI) - Rome, Jan. 26 - The first real royal jelly that can claim "Italian Nationality", guaranteed by Mielizia and Alce Nera, is produced entirely in our country by selected beekeepers, without antibiotics. A new product, the only real royal jelly present on European territories today is that of Chinese origin, much more economic than the Italian one but also much less natural. It does not follow hygiene and conservation regulations and uses gross quantities of cloramfenicolo, a damaging antibiotic long banned in our country. To protect consumers, our law bans the presence of antibiotic residuals, even trace. Despite this, current national production of royal jelly is equal to just 3 pct of Italian consumption, estimated in 400 kilograms, that come almost totally from China. . .
AGI, 1/26/2006
(AGI) - Rome, Jan. 26 - The first real royal jelly that can claim "Italian Nationality", guaranteed by Mielizia and Alce Nera, is produced entirely in our country by selected beekeepers, without antibiotics. A new product, the only real royal jelly present on European territories today is that of Chinese origin, much more economic than the Italian one but also much less natural. It does not follow hygiene and conservation regulations and uses gross quantities of cloramfenicolo, a damaging antibiotic long banned in our country. To protect consumers, our law bans the presence of antibiotic residuals, even trace. Despite this, current national production of royal jelly is equal to just 3 pct of Italian consumption, estimated in 400 kilograms, that come almost totally from China. . .
Thursday, January 26, 2006
Honey, Propolis Recommended for Animal Wounds
Treating Horse Wounds, Aging Dogs
By Jo Bighouse, Clarke Times-Currier, 1/25/2006
Q: My horse recently cut her leg. Is there a natural way to treat her wound?
A: In her book, “Homeopathic First Aid for Horses” Joyce Harman DVM, MRCVS recommends washing the wound first with plain water and soft cotton. Then rinse with a solution of 1 ounce Calendula Officianalis with 9 ounces of bottled water. Dress the wound with Calendula Officianalis ointment applied one or two times a day. Raw, unpasteurized honey can also be used as a dressing. It has enzymes that increase the oxygen next to the wound. Bee propolis can be given internally to aid healing. Research shows propolis offers antiseptic, antibiotic, antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral properties.
By Jo Bighouse, Clarke Times-Currier, 1/25/2006
Q: My horse recently cut her leg. Is there a natural way to treat her wound?
A: In her book, “Homeopathic First Aid for Horses” Joyce Harman DVM, MRCVS recommends washing the wound first with plain water and soft cotton. Then rinse with a solution of 1 ounce Calendula Officianalis with 9 ounces of bottled water. Dress the wound with Calendula Officianalis ointment applied one or two times a day. Raw, unpasteurized honey can also be used as a dressing. It has enzymes that increase the oxygen next to the wound. Bee propolis can be given internally to aid healing. Research shows propolis offers antiseptic, antibiotic, antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral properties.
Up to 6.6% of Patients Are Sensitive to Propolis
Allergic Contact Dermatitis from Propolis
Susan E. Walgrave; Erin M. Warshaw; Lynn A. Glesne, Dermatitis, 1/19/2006
Abstract: Propolis is commonly used in cosmetic and medicinal preparations because of its antiseptic, antiinflammatory, and anesthetic properties. Its therapeutic qualities have been well documented. However, 1.2 to 6.6% of patients who are patch-tested for dermatitis are sensitive to propolis. The main allergens are 3-methyl-2-butenyl caffeate and phenylethyl caffeate. Benzyl salicylate and benzyl cinnamate are less frequent sensitizers. Propolis is found in a number of "natural" products, including lip balms, cosmetics, lotions and ointments, shampoos, conditioners, and toothpastes. Dermatologists should consider patch testing with propolis in users of such remedies.
Also in this article:
* Composition of Propolis
* Responsible Allergens
* Potential Medical Uses and Biologic Properties of Propolis
* Type IV Contact Dermatitis Reactions to Propolis
* Type I Immunoglobulin E–Mediated Reactions to Propolis
* Reactions to Ingested Propolis
* Patch Testing
* Summary
Susan E. Walgrave; Erin M. Warshaw; Lynn A. Glesne, Dermatitis, 1/19/2006
Abstract: Propolis is commonly used in cosmetic and medicinal preparations because of its antiseptic, antiinflammatory, and anesthetic properties. Its therapeutic qualities have been well documented. However, 1.2 to 6.6% of patients who are patch-tested for dermatitis are sensitive to propolis. The main allergens are 3-methyl-2-butenyl caffeate and phenylethyl caffeate. Benzyl salicylate and benzyl cinnamate are less frequent sensitizers. Propolis is found in a number of "natural" products, including lip balms, cosmetics, lotions and ointments, shampoos, conditioners, and toothpastes. Dermatologists should consider patch testing with propolis in users of such remedies.
Also in this article:
* Composition of Propolis
* Responsible Allergens
* Potential Medical Uses and Biologic Properties of Propolis
* Type IV Contact Dermatitis Reactions to Propolis
* Type I Immunoglobulin E–Mediated Reactions to Propolis
* Reactions to Ingested Propolis
* Patch Testing
* Summary
Wednesday, January 25, 2006
India to Diversify Honey Industry with Apitherapy Products
Honey Prices Nosedive as Supply Exceeds Demand
Financial Express, 1/23/2006
MUMBAI - Domestic honey prices in India have dropped precipitously last year in the major honey producing states as the supply has far exceeded the demand in absence of a proper pricing formula and unorganised retailing. . .
Industry experts project the industry’s potential to be 10 times current levels through diversification of bee products such as honey, beeswax, royal jelly, pollen, propolis and venom for both home consumption as food stuff and medicine.
Financial Express, 1/23/2006
MUMBAI - Domestic honey prices in India have dropped precipitously last year in the major honey producing states as the supply has far exceeded the demand in absence of a proper pricing formula and unorganised retailing. . .
Industry experts project the industry’s potential to be 10 times current levels through diversification of bee products such as honey, beeswax, royal jelly, pollen, propolis and venom for both home consumption as food stuff and medicine.
Propolis Effective Against Giardia
In Vitro Effects of Propolis on Giardia Duodenalis Trophozoites
Phytomedicine, Volume 13, Issue 3, 13 February 2006, Pages 170-175
Abstract: In order to improve the current chemotherapy of Giardia infection, potential antigiardial agents have been screened, including natural products. Propolis, a resinous hive product collected by bees, has attracted attention as a useful and popular substance with several therapeutic activities. The present study was carried out aiming to evaluate the in vitro effects of an ethanolic extract of propolis on the growth and adherence of Giardia duodenalis trophozoites.
Propolis inhibited the growth of trophozoites and the level of inhibition varied according to the extract concentration and incubation times. The highest reduction of parasite growth was observed in cultures exposed to 125, 250 and 500 μg/ml of propolis, in all incubation periods (24, 48, 72 and 96 h). Growth reduction by 50% was observed in 125 μg/ml propolis-treated cultures, while the concentrations of 250 and 500 μg/ml were able to inhibit growth by more than 60%. Propolis also inhibited parasite adherence and all assayed propolis concentrations promoted the detachment of trophozoites. Light microscope observations revealed changes of the pear-shaped aspect of the cell and reduction of flagellar beating frequency in the great part of the trophozoites. Our results hold the perspective for the utilization of propolis as an antigiardial agent.
Contact: sgviana@ibb.unesp.br
Phytomedicine, Volume 13, Issue 3, 13 February 2006, Pages 170-175
Abstract: In order to improve the current chemotherapy of Giardia infection, potential antigiardial agents have been screened, including natural products. Propolis, a resinous hive product collected by bees, has attracted attention as a useful and popular substance with several therapeutic activities. The present study was carried out aiming to evaluate the in vitro effects of an ethanolic extract of propolis on the growth and adherence of Giardia duodenalis trophozoites.
Propolis inhibited the growth of trophozoites and the level of inhibition varied according to the extract concentration and incubation times. The highest reduction of parasite growth was observed in cultures exposed to 125, 250 and 500 μg/ml of propolis, in all incubation periods (24, 48, 72 and 96 h). Growth reduction by 50% was observed in 125 μg/ml propolis-treated cultures, while the concentrations of 250 and 500 μg/ml were able to inhibit growth by more than 60%. Propolis also inhibited parasite adherence and all assayed propolis concentrations promoted the detachment of trophozoites. Light microscope observations revealed changes of the pear-shaped aspect of the cell and reduction of flagellar beating frequency in the great part of the trophozoites. Our results hold the perspective for the utilization of propolis as an antigiardial agent.
Contact: sgviana@ibb.unesp.br
Tuesday, January 24, 2006
Raw Honey Recommended for Animal Allergies
Animal Doctor
The Washington Post, 1/24/2006
“Giving my Weimaraner a 1/4 teaspoon of local raw honey (that contains pollen), twice daily after meals, stopped him from developing the usual seasonal allergy (swollen/itchy paws and ears).”
The Washington Post, 1/24/2006
“Giving my Weimaraner a 1/4 teaspoon of local raw honey (that contains pollen), twice daily after meals, stopped him from developing the usual seasonal allergy (swollen/itchy paws and ears).”
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