Broadhurst, C. Leigh, Ph.D., Bee Products: Medicine From the Hive,

Nutrition Science News, August 1999, Vol. 4., No. 8, pp. 366, 368.

This article packs a lot of information on honey, bee pollen, propolis and royal jelly, all used since ancient times as both food and medicine, summarizing current scientific findings for each of these products.

Pollens are the male reproductive cells of flowers. The author does not distinguish between bee-collected pollen and "flower pollen" - a proprietary pharmaceutical product collected from specially-grown flowers and made into an extract. (The three studies on pollen cited in the article are based on flower pollen extracts made by AB Cérnella in Sweden.) Flower pollens, bees' primary food source, contain concentrations of phytochemicals and nutrients and are rich in carotenoids, flavonoids and phytosterols. In one double-bind clinical trial of 60 men, proprietary pollen extract effectively treated prostate enlargement and prostatitis. In another study, mice with lung cancer survived almost twice as long as untreated controls, when treated with pollen extracts simultaneously with chemotherapy. In a third trial, rats were exposed to solvent vapors simulating industrial exposure and resulting in elevated liver enzymes. Those given 60 mg/kg body weight pollen extracts had significantly lower liver enzymes than untreated controls.

Honey, made by bees concentrating plant nectars, has been known for centuries to heal wounds and treat infection, as well as being antioxidant, antibiotic and antiviral. A study of 104 patients with first-degree burns compared honey to gauze soaked in silver sulfadiazine (SS), the conventional treatment. In seven days, 91 percent of honey-treated burns were infection-free as compared with 7 percent of SS-treated cases. The raw wildflower honey used (which reportedly has the strongest medicinal and nutritional values) formed a protective barrier to prevent infection, absorb pus, and reduce pain, irritation and odor. Fifty patients with wound infections following caesarean section or hysterectomy were treated with either raw honey or a solution of alcohol and

iodine (AI). Those treated with honey were infection-free after six days compared with 14 days for those treated with AI. In a laboratory study of 345 unpasteurized honey samples, the majority exhibited antibacterial action against Staphylococcus aureus bacteria, which causes food poisoning. Stronger, darker honeys have greater antimicrobial and antioxidant properties, enough to act as food preservatives, according to this author.

Several mechanisms may account for honey's healing properties:

1) Its sugars strongly attract water, forming a viscous syrup. Honey absorbs fluids from wounds, desiccating bacteria and fungi;

2) The glucose oxidase found in honey combines with water to produce hydrogen peroxide, a mild antiseptic.

3) Bee pollen, enzymes and propolis found in honey can all stimulate new tissue growth.

4) Honey may contain additional medicinal compounds, depending on the plant from which the pollen was taken.

More than 180 compounds have been identified in propolis, which is composed mainly of tree resins. Many are biologically active. Flavonoids are abundant, including several which are anti-inflammatory, spasmolytic, antiallergenic, antioxidant and/or antimutagenic. It is rich in the caffeic acid phenethyl ester, which, in animal studies, has inhibited cancer growth and reduced inflammation. Organic acids in propolis contribute antibiotic, antifungal and antiviral effects. In cultures, propolis inhibits growth of numerous viruses, fungi, and bacteria. Propolis potentiates many pharmaceutical antibiotics; creating synergistic effects. The author claimes that propolis is a superior ingredient in wound salves and may help heal stomach ulcers. It is anti-inflammatory, detoxifying, and stimulates new tissue growth.

Royal jelly, synthesized by nurse bees, is fed to all bee larvae for three days and to the queen larva to the exclusion of other foods, making her fertile and increasing her life span. Royal jelly contains 2.0 to 6.4 percent trans-10-hydroxy delta-2-decenoic acid (HDA), a monosaturated fatty acid with a hydroxyl group. Hydroxy fatty acids protect skin from dehydration, and some are strongly anti-inflammatory. Royal jelly contains collagen, lecithin, and vitamins A, C, D and E, all of which benefit the skin. It contains all of the B vitamins and is especially rich in pantothenic acid. Several constituent compounds help lower cholesterol. While royal jelly research lags behind that for other bee products, one review of controlled studies found that in humans, 50 to 100 mg royal jelly per day decreased total cholesterol and triglycerides significantly. In another study, 15 mg/kg body weight slowed the development of atherosclerosis in rabbits.

In recent nutritional research, rats fed only raw bee pollen granules were healthier and leaner than those fed standard rat chow. Also, genes have been discovered which respond to a 24-hour royal jelly diet. - Mariann Garner-Wizard

Enclosure: Reprinted with permission from the August 1999 issue of NFM's Nutrition Science News,

a publication of New Hope Communications in Boulder, Colo. Bin #166