More Research on Honey Bee Products

Psalms from the Hive

by Jeannie Saum

Propolis, honey, pollen, too

Amazing treasures for me and you.

For health and wellness,

Beautiful skin

Get healing from the hive

Outside and within!

Clover, Bee, and Revery

Reverie (revery) –(n.) state of dreamy meditation or fanciful musing; a fantastic, visionary, or impractical idea

 

Every week, it seems, I read about more research that is being done on propolis, honey and pollen.  I get a daily e- newsletter from Apitherapy News which reports the latest findings from apitherapy (the use of bee products for medicinal purposes) research.  If interested, you can sign up for this newsletter at http://apitherapy.blogspot.com.

The articles are sometimes difficult to understand, as they are medical abstracts.  I will attempt to summarize some here, in layperson’s words!

A study was posted in October 2013, titled “Total monoamine oxidase (MAO) inhibition by chestnut honey, pollen and propolis” by researchers, O. Yildiz, F. Karahali, Z. Can, H. Sahin, and S. Kolayli,  from   the Department of Chemistry, Science Faculty, Karadeniz Technical University, Trabzon, Turkey.  This study was done to see if propolis, honey or pollen would function as MAO inhibitors (Monoamine oxidase), like many drugs on the market that are used to treat depression and other neurodegenerative illnesses, like Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s disease.

They found that propolis, honey and pollen all exhibited substantial inhibition of MAO, with propolis having the highest effect. Their conclusion states that bee products possess a sedative effect and may be effective in protecting humans against depression and similar diseases.  It is amazing to me that a substances created by God’s little creatures, the honeybees, could do such amazing things for us humans. And they do it without college degrees, and laboratories, and artificially made chemicals, and multimillion dollar pharmaceutical companies backing them!

Another study was published in October, 2013 showing that Manuka Honey (from the Manuka trees in New Zealand)  decreases the virulence of the super bug, MRSA! This study is titled, Proteomic and genomic analysis of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) exposed to manuka honey in vitro demonstrated down-regulation of virulence markers, (Whew, that’s a mouthful!), by J Antimicrob Chemother.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a dangerous pathogen. It is resistance to multiple antibiotics and is very prevalent in healthcare facilities and is easily spread.  It is a serious threat to human health that requires novel interventions.  Manuka honey is a broad-spectrum antimicrobial agent that is gaining acceptance in the topical treatment of wounds.  But the way it works is only partially understood.  This study set out to investigate the effects of manuka honey on MRSA at a molecular level.

In laboratory experiments, they found that glucose, one of the major sugars in honey, altered the genes in the MRSA  bacteria, reduced its cell division ability and its ability to invade healthy cell tissues.  Authors of this study conclude that these effects of honey on MRSA  need to be investigated by more use on actual MRSA infected patients.  My daughters, who are nurses, tell me that manuka honey IS being used here in the Columbus, Ohio area, to treat wounds, bedsores, and MRSA infections in hospitals and nursing homes.  I also inquired about its use when caring for my mother in Wichita Kansas, and was told medicinal honey is part of their wound care protocol as well.  This is encouraging news!  Natural treasures from our Creator’s flora and fauna CAN be of incredible benefit to our health and well-being!  BEE Power!!

Isaiah 45

2 I will go before you  and will level the mountains; I will break down gates of bronze and cut through bars of iron.
³ I will give you hidden treasures, riches stored in secret places, so that you may know that I am the  Lord, the God of Israel, who summons you by name.
⁴ For the sake of Jacob my servant, of Israel my chosen, I summon you by name and bestow on you a  title of honor, though you do not acknowledge me.
⁵ I am the Lord, and there is no other; apart from me there is no God. I will strengthen you, though you have not acknowledged me,
⁶ so that from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting people may know there is none besides me.
I am the Lord, and there is no other.
⁷ I form the light and create darkness,  I bring prosperity and create disaster;  I, the Lord, do all these things.