Apitherapy Products for Medicinal Use

Historical Aspects

Beekeeping is not new to civilizations. Humans started collecting honey from bees approximately 9000 years ago. A rock painting found near Valencia, Spain, dating from 7000 bc shows a man gathering honey. Drawings on Egyptian Temples built about 2400 bc show beekeeping and honey preparation. In the oldest medical papyri of Egypt, dating back to 1553–1550 bc, there are indications that honey was used to heal wounds. ¹

Ancient writings including the Talmud, the Bible, and scrolls from the Orient, ancient Greece, and Rome all praised honey and bee pollen as a source of youthfulness and health. Different cultures have used honey. In the Koran, a section titled “The Bee” says that honey is a “medicine for men.” In the Orient, a mixture of honey and pollen was used as a poultice on wounds and as a health tonic. In India, the tonics prescribed “to give pleasure” and “to preserve youth” were mainly prepared from honey. A diet in which honey and milk were the main items was thought to prolong life. ²

The great scholar and physician Hippocrates wrote “honey and pollen cause warmth, clean sores and ulcers, soften hard ulcers of the lips, heal carbuncles and running sores.” Historically, Alexander the Great in ancient Greece was treated with bee stings for hip pain, and Charlemagne, the 8th century conqueror, was cured of gout by bee stings. ³ The use of bee venom, considered a therapeutic agent, was discussed in C.W. Wolf's book, The Poison of the Honey Bee. ⁴

Bee Venom Therapy

Most individuals know about honey and bee pollen. Few know about bee venom therapy (BVT). BVT has been used to treat rheumatoid arthritis for centuries. Charlie Mraz, a beekeeper from Vermont, started treating people suffering from arthritis and pain in the mid-1930s with live bee stings. He learned about BVT from a New York physician, Bodog F. Beck, author of Bee Venom Therapy, who was treating arthritis with bee venom. ⁵ C.C Miller, a physician, gave up his practice to raise bees and wrote a book, Fifty Years of Beekeeping. BVT—either by using a live honeybee or by transdermal injection—has been used to treat multiple sclerosis for decades. There is documentation of the beneficial aspects to the patient, the regression of symptoms, and decrease in progression of their disease. There are more than 60 identifiable components in bee venom. Most are anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial, and act as antioxidants. ^6,7 There are many other conditions where bee venom has been used therapeutically, such as arthritis, ⁸ post-herpetic neuralgia, ⁹ and adhesive capsulitis. ¹⁰ I have used BVT for my own autoimmune condition by using live honeybees administered by an acupuncturist.

Propolis

This beehive component may not be as well known as honey, or as infamous as the sting, but it is certainly at least as beneficial for both the hive and patients alike. Propolis is primarily composed of resins collected by the bees from trees and plants. All propolis is not the same and changes with the type of plant, climate, soil, and season. This sticky substance, which acts like a cement to hold the hive together, has medicinal properties. It contains more than 180 components, including waxes (10–35%), essential oils (6–10%), pollen (5%), minerals (e.g., Mg, Ca, I, Na, Cu, Zn, Mn, Fe), vitamins (e.g., A, B1, B2, B6, C, E), and enzymes. Propolis has been used for the pharynx in the following conditions: acute and chronic gum erosions, denture soreness, plaque gingivitis, and periodontal disease. ¹¹ It has been studied and researched for radiation protection as well as tissue regeneration. Propolis has antibacterial, antiviral, ¹² antiparasitic, and anticancer properties. I have used propolis to treat external warts, ¹³ otitis media, ¹⁴ and autoimmune diseases, especially psoriasis. ¹⁵ More individuals should be using propolis every day.

Bee Pollen

Next spring, notice the bees in your neighborhood. It is important to notice their bodies carrying the pollen. This bee pollen can be consumed by you on a daily basis. Bee pollen is a nutritious high-quality food. I might even say it is a super food. It can be used as an anti-depressant, an appetite modulator, as well as increasing endurance in sporting activity. In fact, it also improves the functions of the brain, heart, liver, and prostate. It contains all the necessary nutrients for humans, such as proteins, free amino acids, and more than 200 enzymes and sugars. Both propolis and bee pollen have a similar nutritional value. Bee pollen contains more than 50% more protein than beef and is an excellent vegetarian source of protein, typically possessing more of the essential amino acids, pound for pound, than animal proteins such as meat, eggs, and dairy products. It has been studied as an effective dietary intervention. It is effective for cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension. I find it effective for digestive issues and ask my patients to consume one teaspoon per day. It is used for both constipation and diarrhea. I have effectively used it in anorexia to maintain good nutritional status. I usually recommend it for all my patients with autoimmune disease, especially thyroiditis, multiple sclerosis, ¹⁶ lupus, and celiac disease. It has been studied in benign prostatic hypertrophy, ¹⁷ memory loss, and cancer. Pollen is also protective against radiation. It is a powerhouse in my armamentarium of supplements.

Royal Jelly

Royal jelly is a costly therapy, but it is worth its weight in platinum. I have used it as an antibacterial and antifungal agent. It is excellent for wound healing and tissue repair. I consider it the primer of the immune system. I use it to regulate hormones as well as improve cognitive function. I have even used it in osteoporosis. As a cardiologist, I was impressed by the use of royal jelly in decreasing the lipid levels in both animals and humans. ¹⁸

Honey

The final apitherapy product most known is the golden liquid, honey. Honey varies in taste and color based on the geographical region from which it originates. Many individuals use it for allergies, but the honey must be from your local region. Manuka honey from Australia would not be effective for allergies local to the northeast coast of the United States. Yet, Manuka honey is an excellent wound-healing agent. Honey has both external and internal indications. I have used honey for external wounds ^19,20 and bed sores. It has antimicrobial properties and outstanding wound-healing effects. ²¹ It is useful for gastrointestinal diseases, such as ulcers and colitis. I also use honey as a natural cough syrup combined with elderberry flowers. It has impressed me with its efficacy on coughs. ²² Not just any honey will do though. I would search for raw wildflower honey. I also would support your local beekeeper.