Beehive Products as Antibacterial Agents: A Review

Abstract

Honeybees are one of the most marvelous and economically beneficial insects. As pollinators, they play a vital role in every aspect of the ecosystem. Beehive products have been used for thousands of years in many cultures for the treatment of various diseases. Their healing properties have been documented in many religious texts like the Noble Quran and the Holy Bible. Honey, bee venom, propolis, pollen and royal jelly all demonstrated a richness in their bioactive compounds which make them effective against a variety of bacterial strains. Furthermore, many studies showed that honey and bee venom work as powerful antibacterial agents against a wide range of bacteria including life-threatening bacteria. Several reports documented the biological activities of honeybee products but none of them emphasized on the antibacterial activity of all beehive products. Therefore, this review aims to highlight the antibacterial activity of honey, bee venom, propolis, pollen and royal jelly, that are produced by honeybees.

Chemical, Cytotoxic, and Anti-Inflammatory Assessment of Honey Bee Venom from Apis mellifera intermissa

“…Indeed, melittin is known to interact with several fungus, in a concentration/time manner, through distinct mechanisms that include apoptosis induction by reactive oxygen species accumulation, the inhibition of (1,3)-β-D-glucan synthase, changes in fungal gene expression or by inducing changes in the permeability of the cell wall. This latter mechanism is the same used to justify the high activity of this biopeptide against bacteria, particularly Gram-positive strains: the absence of lipopolysaccharides in the cell wall of Gram-positive bacteria allows for the penetration of melittin within the cell membrane, causing severe disruption on the phospholipids’ packing, thus leading to cell lysis [ 11 , 20 ].…”

“…Phospholipase A2 (PLA2) is the primary HBV enzyme, while hyaluronidase, acid phosphomonoesterase, lysophospholipase, and α-glucosidase are also present, but in a much lower amounts. Other non-peptide components affecting many cellular systems can be detected in HBV, including histamine, dopamine, norepinephrine, sugars such as fructose and glucose, and phospholipids [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 ]. HBV is under investigation for different diseases as a fundamental or adjuvant treatment, such as Parkinson’s disease, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, multiple sclerosis, hepatic fibrosis, atherosclerosis, acne vulgaris, pain, lupus nephritis, periodontal diseases, and several cancers.…”

“…The presence of high levels of melittin also potentiates the use of HBV as a fungicide, with a broad inhibition spectrum of the fungal genera, including Aspergillus, Botrytis, Candida, Colletotrichum, Fusarium, Malassezia, Neurospora, Penicillium, Saccharomyces, Trichoderma, Trichophyton, and Trichosporonains [ 19 ]. The effect of this biopeptide to bacteria, individually or in consortium with other antibiotics, is also significant, particularly in Gram-positive strains, through the weakening of the cell membrane [ 11 , 20 ].…”

Synergistic Effect of Polyphenol-Rich Complex of Plant and Green Propolis Extracts with Antibiotics against Respiratory Infections Causing Bacteria

“…Brazilian green propolis is derived from apical buds and young leaves of Baccharis dracunculifolia. This is one of the most studied types of propolis, with antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacteria reported as a characteristic feature [ 50 , 51 , 52 , 53 ].…”

Apis mellifera syriaca Venom: Evaluation of Its Anticoagulant Effect, Proteolytic Activity, and Cytotoxicity along with Its Two Main Compounds—MEL and PLA2—On HeLa Cancer Cells

“…BV is a complex blend of bioactive molecules such as melittin (MEL), phospholipase A2 (PLA2), apamin, and hyaluronidase [ 7 , 8 , 9 ]. The use of BV for medicinal purposes—also known as apitherapy, or particularly bee venom therapy (BVT)—can be traced back thousands of years [ 10 , 11 ]. For example, BV has been used to treat diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, neurodegenerative diseases, etc.…”