Impact of Bee Venom Enzymes on Diseases and Immune Responses

Bee venom (BV) is used to treat many diseases and exhibits anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, antimutagenic, radioprotective, anti-nociceptive immunity promoting, hepatocyte protective and anti-cancer activity. According to the literature, BV contains several enzymes, including phospholipase A2 (PLA2), phospholipase B, hyaluronidase, acid phosphatase and α-glucosidase. Recent studies have also reported the detection of different classes of enzymes in BV, including esterases, proteases and peptidases, protease inhibitors and other important enzymes involved in carbohydrate metabolism. Nevertheless, the physiochemical properties and functions of each enzyme class and their mechanisms remain unclear. Various pharmacotherapeutic effects of some of the BV enzymes have been reported in several studies. At present, ongoing research aims to characterize each enzyme and elucidate their specific biological roles. This review gathers all the current knowledge on BV enzymes and their specific mechanisms in regulating various immune responses and physiological changes to provide a basis for future therapies for various diseases

5-Hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) levels in honey and other food products: effects on bees and human health

Abstract An organic compound known as 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) is formed from reducing sugars in honey and various processed foods in acidic environments when they are heated through the Maillard reaction. In addition to processing, storage conditions affect the formation HMF, and HMF has become a suitable indicator of honey quality. HMF is easily absorbed from food through the gastrointestinal tract and, upon being metabolized into different derivatives, is excreted via urine. In addition to exerting detrimental effects (mutagenic, genotoxic, organotoxic and enzyme inhibitory), HMF, which is converted to a non-excretable, genotoxic compound called 5-sulfoxymethylfurfural, is beneficial to human health by providing antioxidative, anti-allergic, anti-inflammatory, anti-hypoxic, anti-sickling, and anti-hyperuricemic effects. Therefore, HMF is a neo-forming contaminant that draws great attention from scientists. This review compiles updated information regarding HMF formation, detection procedures, mitigation strategies and effects of HMF on honey bees and human health

Antioxidant, brine shrimp lethality and analgesic properties of propolis from Bangladesh

Propolis which is a natural resinous product from the honeybees, is becoming increasingly popular for its diverse therapeutic and industrial applications. In this study, we report for the first time the antioxidant, cytotoxic, and antinociceptive activities of propolis from Bangladesh (BDP). The antioxidant activities were measured by biochemical analyses while cytotoxicity was evaluated by brine shrimp lethality bioassay. Analgesic activity was evaluated by tail immersion and acetic acid-induced writhing models in mice. BDP contained higher concentrations of polyphenols, flavonoids, tannins, ascorbic acid, vitamin E, and reducing sugars, as compared to previous reports of propolis from several countries. BDP also exhibited higher free radical-scavenging activities and a dose-dependent reducing power activity indicating its superior antioxidant potential. Moreover, BDP extract was most toxic to brine shrimp nauplii, with 50% lethal concentration (LC50) of 57.99 mu g/mL and exhibited considerable antinociceptive activities which may be mediated via central and peripheral inhibitory mechanisms.Practical applicationsBDP is a honeybee product, becoming increasingly popular due its potential contributions to human health. BDP is a rich source of natural antioxidants which has the potential to be used to ameliorate oxidative stress disorders and has useful antinociceptive activities. It may be useful as potential therapeutic agents against cancer, pesticidal agents, and for other cytotoxic uses