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Foods (Basel, Switzerland) Jun 2024Royal jelly is a substance secreted by the hypopharyngeal and mandibular glands of nurse honey bees, serving as crucial nutritional source for young larvae, queen honey...
Royal jelly is a substance secreted by the hypopharyngeal and mandibular glands of nurse honey bees, serving as crucial nutritional source for young larvae, queen honey bees, and also valuable product for humans. In this study, the effect of the feed supplements on the nutritional composition and qualities of royal jelly was investigated. Two types of royal jelly samples were acquired: one from honey bees fed with sugar syrup as a feed supplement and the other from honey bees fed with honey. The production, harvesting, and storage of all royal jelly samples followed standard procedures. Parameters for quality assessment and nutritional value, including stable carbon isotopic ratio, moisture content, 10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid (10-HDA) level, carbohydrate composition, amino acid composition, and mineral contents, were analyzed. The results revealed that despite variability in moisture content and carbohydrate composition, fructose was lower (2.6 and 4.1 g/100 g as is for sugar-fed and honey-fed royal jelly, respectively) and sucrose was higher (7.5 and 2.7 g/100 g as is for sugar-fed and honey-fed royal jelly, respectively) in the sugar-fed group. The stable isotope ratio (-16.4608‱ for sugar-fed and -21.9304‱ for honey-fed royal jelly) clearly distinguished the two groups. 10-HDA, amino acid composition, and total protein levels were not significantly different. Certain minerals, such as potassium, iron, magnesium, manganese, and phosphorus were higher in the honey-fed group. Hierarchical analysis based on moisture, sugar composition, 10-HDA, and stable carbon isotopes categorized the samples into two distinct groups. This study demonstrated that the feed source could affect the nutritional quality of royal jelly.
PubMed: 38928885
DOI: 10.3390/foods13121942 -
International Journal of Molecular... May 2024Royal jelly (RJ) is a highly nutritious natural product with great potential for use in medicine, cosmetics, and as a health-promoting food. This bee product is a... (Review)
Review
Royal jelly (RJ) is a highly nutritious natural product with great potential for use in medicine, cosmetics, and as a health-promoting food. This bee product is a mixture of important compounds, such as proteins, vitamins, lipids, minerals, hormones, neurotransmitters, flavonoids, and polyphenols, that underlie the remarkable biological and therapeutic activities of RJ. Various bioactive molecules like 10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid (10-HDA), antibacterial protein, apisin, the major royal jelly proteins, and specific peptides such as apisimin, royalisin, royalactin, apidaecin, defensin-1, and jelleins are characteristic ingredients of RJ. RJ shows numerous physiological and pharmacological properties, including vasodilatory, hypotensive, antihypercholesterolaemic, antidiabetic, immunomodulatory, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-aging, neuroprotective, antimicrobial, estrogenic, anti-allergic, anti-osteoporotic, and anti-tumor effects. Moreover, RJ may reduce menopause symptoms and improve the health of the reproductive system, liver, and kidneys, and promote wound healing. This article provides an overview of the molecular mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of RJ in various diseases, aging, and aging-related complications, with special emphasis on the bioactive components of RJ and their health-promoting properties. The data presented should be an incentive for future clinical studies that hopefully will advance our knowledge about the therapeutic potential of RJ and facilitate the development of novel RJ-based therapeutic opportunities for improving human health and well-being.
Topics: Humans; Fatty Acids; Animals; Anti-Inflammatory Agents
PubMed: 38892209
DOI: 10.3390/ijms25116023 -
Journal of Oleo Science 2024Unsaturated fatty acids, such as oleic and linoleic acids, are easily oxidized by exposure to temperature and light in the presence of air to form unsaturated fatty acid... (Comparative Study)
Comparative Study
Unsaturated fatty acids, such as oleic and linoleic acids, are easily oxidized by exposure to temperature and light in the presence of air to form unsaturated fatty acid hydroperoxides as primary oxidation products. However, the catabolic rates of unsaturated fatty acid hydroperoxides in the human body remain unknown. In this study, ethyl esters of C-labeled linoleic acid (*C18:2-EE) and oleic acid (*C18:1-EE) and their hydroperoxides (*C18:2-EE-OOH and *C18:1-EE-OOH, respectively) prepared by the photo-oxidation of *C18:2-EE and *C18:1-EE, respectively, were administered to mice and their catabolic rates were determined by measuring the expired CO levels. *C18:2-EE-OOH and *C18:1-EE-OOH were β-oxidized faster than *C18:2-EE and *C18:1-EE, respectively. Notably, rapid β-oxidation of *C18:2-EE-OOH and *C18:1-EE-OOH was similar to that of medium-chain fatty acids, such as octanoic acid. Then, degradation products of C18:2-EE-OOH and C18:1-EE-OOH were analyzed under gastric conditions by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Major decomposition products of C18:2-EE-OOH and C18:1-EE-OOH were medium-chain compounds, such as octanoic acid ethyl ester, 9-oxo-nonanoic acid ethyl ester, and 10-oxo-8-decenoic acid ethyl esters, indicating that C18:2-EE-OOH and C18:1-EE-OOH isomers formed during photo-oxidation were decomposed under acidic conditions. These findings support previous reports that dietary lipid hydroperoxides are not absorbed into the intestine as lipid hydroperoxides but as degradation products. This is the first study to suggest that dietary lipid hydroperoxides decompose during gastric digestion to form medium-chain compounds that are directly absorbed into the liver via the portal vein and rapidly catabolized via β-oxidation.
Topics: Animals; Oxidation-Reduction; Oleic Acid; Linoleic Acid; Carbon Dioxide; Carbon Isotopes; Mice; Male; Hydrogen Peroxide
PubMed: 38825538
DOI: 10.5650/jos.ess23236 -
Journal of Clinical Biochemistry and... May 2024Macrophages produce many inflammatory mediators, such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), in innate immune responses. However, excess...
Macrophages produce many inflammatory mediators, such as tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), in innate immune responses. However, excess production of these mediators by activated macrophages triggers deleterious effects, leading to disorders associated with inflammation. Royal jelly (RJ), a milky-white substance secreted by worker bees, contains unique fatty acids, including 10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid (10H2DA) and sebacic acid (SA). 10H2DA has been reported to have various biological functions, such as anti-inflammation. However, the anti-inflammatory effect of SA is not fully understood. In this study, we investigated the effects of SA on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced cytokine expression using differentiated human THP-1 macrophage-like cells. SA dose-dependently decreased LPS-induced mRNA expression of IL-6, but not TNF-α and IL-1β. SA suppressed the phosphorylation of signal transducers and activators of transcription 1 (STAT1) and STAT3, but hardly affected the activation of JNK, p38, or NF-κB. In addition, SA decreased LPS-induced interferon-β (IFN-β) expression, and the addition of IFN-β restored the inhibition by SA of LPS-induced STAT activation and IL-6 expression. Furthermore, SA suppressed LPS-induced nuclear translocation of interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3), a transcription factor responsible for IFN-β expression. Taken together, we conclude that SA selectively decreases LPS-induced expression of IL-6 mRNA through inhibition of the IRF3/IFN-β/STAT axis.
PubMed: 38799138
DOI: 10.3164/jcbn.23-16 -
Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland) May 2024Beekeeping provides products with nutraceutical and pharmaceutical characteristics. These products are characterized by abundance of bioactive compounds. For different... (Review)
Review
Beekeeping provides products with nutraceutical and pharmaceutical characteristics. These products are characterized by abundance of bioactive compounds. For different reasons, honey, royal jelly, propolis, venom, and pollen are beneficial to humans and animals and could be used as therapeutics. The pharmacological action of these products is related to many of their constituents. The main bioactive components of honey include oligosaccharides, methylglyoxal, royal jelly proteins (MRJPs), and phenolics compounds. Royal jelly contains jelleins, royalisin peptides, MRJPs, and derivatives of hydroxy-decenoic acid, particularly 10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid (10-HDA), which possess antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, immunomodulatory, neuromodulatory, metabolic syndrome-preventing, and anti-aging properties. Propolis has a plethora of activities that are referable to compounds such as caffeic acid phenethyl ester. Peptides found in bee venom include phospholipase A2, apamin, and melittin. In addition to being vitamin-rich, bee pollen also includes unsaturated fatty acids, sterols, and phenolics compounds that express antiatherosclerotic, antidiabetic, and anti-inflammatory properties. Therefore, the constituents of hive products are particular and different. All of these constituents have been investigated for their properties in numerous research studies. This review aims to provide a thorough screening of the bioactive chemicals found in honeybee products and their beneficial biological effects. The manuscript may provide impetus to the branch of unconventional medicine that goes by the name of apitherapy.
PubMed: 38794216
DOI: 10.3390/ph17050646 -
Daru : Journal of Faculty of Pharmacy,... May 2024Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women which can be cured in most individuals with early-stage non-metastatic disease. Imbalance in estrogen signaling pathways... (Review)
Review
BACKGROUND
Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women which can be cured in most individuals with early-stage non-metastatic disease. Imbalance in estrogen signaling pathways and propagating levels of estrogens has important roles in breast cancer development. Targeting the estrogen receptor signaling pathway is linked to breast cancer treatment. Royal jelly is one of the bee products containing 10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid, a structure similar to mammalian estrogen, allowing it to attach to estrogen receptors. It is considered as a general tonic and immunomodulator which may be helpful in reducing the side effects of cancer treatments. Currently, there are controversial data regarding the pros and cons of royal jelly in cancer. Here we provide an overview of the effects of royal jelly on sex hormones and its possible role in breast cancer.
METHODS
Electronic databases including PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science were searched with the search terms royal jelly, cancer, and sexual hormones. All preclinical and clinical studies regarding the hormonal effects of royal jelly were included.
RESULTS
According to the collected preclinical data, consumption of royal jelly at daily doses below 200 mg/kg can be useful to decrease the risk of breast cancer since it reduces the serum level of estrogen; whereas increases progesterone, which subsequently decreases the expression of ERs on the ER-positive cells.
CONCLUSION
Future clinical studies are essential to confirm the safe dose of royal jelly as an adjuvant therapy in breast cancer.
PubMed: 38717683
DOI: 10.1007/s40199-024-00513-2 -
Journal of Traditional and... May 2024Royal jelly is an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and neuroprotective bee product. There are several sources for royal jelly and one of them is Indian Royal Jelly (IRJ)....
BACKGROUND
Royal jelly is an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and neuroprotective bee product. There are several sources for royal jelly and one of them is Indian Royal Jelly (IRJ). However, the neuroprotective actions of IRJ and the underlying molecular mechanisms involved are not well known.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the neuroprotective effect of IRJ in the okadaic acid (OKA)-induced Alzheimer's disease (AD) model in rats.
METHODS
In male Wistar rats, OKA was intracerebroventricularly (ICV) administered, and from day 7, they were treated orally with IRJ or memantine for 21 days. Spatial and recognition learning and memory were evaluated from days 27-34; employing the Morris water maze (MWM) and the novel object recognition tests (NORT), respectively. biochemical measurements were taken of the cholinergic system and oxidative stress markers. In silico docking was used to find the role of tau protein kinase and phosphatase in the pharmacological action.
RESULTS
In OKA-induced rats, IRJ decreased the escape latency and path length in MWM and increased the exploration time for novel objects and the discrimination index in NORT. ICV-OKA rats had higher free radicals and cytokines that caused inflammation and their level of free radical scavengers was back to normal with IRJ treatment. IRJ increased the level of acetylcholine and inhibited acetylcholinesterase. Moreover, the in silico docking study revealed the strong binding affinity of 10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid (10-HDA), a bioactive constituent of IR, to the tau protein kinases and phosphatases.
CONCLUSION
IRJ may serve as a nootropic agent in the treatment of dementia, and owing to its capacity to prevent oxidative stress and neuroinflammation, and increase cholinergic tone; it has the potential to be explored as a novel strategy for the treatment of dementia and AD. More studies may be needed to develop 10-HDA as a novel drug entity for AD.
PubMed: 38707922
DOI: 10.1016/j.jtcme.2023.11.005 -
Self-assembled nanonization of fatty acid-conjugated vaccine antigen for enhanced thermal stability.International Journal of Pharmaceutics Jun 2024The aim of this study was to evaluate the enhanced thermal stability and physicochemical properties of fattigated vaccine antigens. High molecular weight influenza...
The aim of this study was to evaluate the enhanced thermal stability and physicochemical properties of fattigated vaccine antigens. High molecular weight influenza hemagglutinin (Heg) was used as a model antigen because of low heat stability requiring cold chamber. Heg was conjugated with long-chain oleic acid (C18) and short-chain 3-decenoic acid (C10) to prepare fattigated Heg. Circular dichroism analysis revealed no significant changes in the three-dimensional structure post-conjugation. In the liquid state, the fattigated Heg was self-assembled into nanoparticles (NPs) due to its amphiphilic nature, with sizes of 136.27 ± 12.78 nm for oleic acid-conjugated Heg (HOC) and 88.73 ± 3.27 nm for 3-decenoic acid-conjugated Heg (HDC). Accelerated thermal stability studies at 60 °C for 7 days demonstrated that fattigated Heg exhibited higher thermal stability than Heg in various liquid or solid states. The longer-chained HOC showed better thermal stability than HDC in the liquid state, attributed to increased hydrophobic interactions during self-assembly. In bio-mimicking liquid states at 37 °C, HOC exhibited higher thermal stability than Heg. Furthermore, solid-state HOC with cryoprotectants (trehalose, mannitol, and Tween® 80) had significantly increased thermal stability due to reduced exposure of protein surface area via nanonization behavior. The current fattigation platform could be a promising strategy for developing thermostable nano vaccines of heat-labile vaccine antigens.
Topics: Drug Stability; Nanoparticles; Hemagglutinin Glycoproteins, Influenza Virus; Influenza Vaccines; Oleic Acid; Vaccines, Conjugate; Fatty Acids; Hot Temperature; Particle Size; Polysorbates; Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions; Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated; Antigens
PubMed: 38688427
DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpharm.2024.124176 -
Communications Biology Apr 2024In Asian honeybees, virgin queens typically only mate during a single nuptial flight before founding a colony. This behavior is controlled by the queen-released...
In Asian honeybees, virgin queens typically only mate during a single nuptial flight before founding a colony. This behavior is controlled by the queen-released mandibular pheromone (QMP). 9-oxo-(E)-2-decenoic acid (9-ODA), a key QMP component, acts as sex pheromone and attracts drones. However, how the queens prevent additional mating remains elusive. Here, we show that the secondary QMP component methyl p-hydroxybenzoate (HOB) released by mated queens inhibits male attraction to 9-ODA. Results from electrophysiology and in situ hybridization assay indicated that HOB alone significantly reduces the spontaneous spike activity of 9-ODA-sensitive neurons, and AcerOr11 is specifically expressed in sensilla placodea from the drone's antennae, which are the sensilla that narrowly respond to both 9-ODA and HOB. Deorphanization of AcerOr11 in Xenopus oocyte system showed 9-ODA induces robust inward (regular) currents, while HOB induces inverse currents in a dose-dependent manner. This suggests that HOB potentially acts as an inverse agonist against AcerOr11.
Topics: Animals; Bees; Sex Attractants; Male; Female; Receptors, Pheromone; Sexual Behavior, Animal; Insect Proteins; Oocytes; Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated
PubMed: 38664580
DOI: 10.1038/s42003-024-06206-5 -
Chemosphere Jun 2024Biofouling is inevitable in the membrane process, particularly in membrane bioreactors (MBR) combined with activated sludge processes. Regulating microbial signaling...
Biofouling is inevitable in the membrane process, particularly in membrane bioreactors (MBR) combined with activated sludge processes. Regulating microbial signaling systems with diffusible signal factors such as cis-2-Decenoic acid (CDA) can control biofilm formation without microbial death or growth inhibition. This study assessed the effectiveness of CDA in controlling biofouling in membrane bioreactors (MBRs), essential for wastewater treatment. By modulating microbial signaling, CDA mitigated biofilm formation without hindering microbial growth. Analysis using Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM) revealed structural alterations in the biofilm, reducing biomass and thickness upon CDA application. Moreover, examination of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) highlighted a decrease in total EPS, particularly effective polysaccharides. In addition, the possibility of shifting from high molecular weight EPS to low molecular weight EPS was revealed through the change in dispersion activity. The 56% extension of MBR operational lifespan resulting from the reduction in EPS is anticipated to offer potential cost savings and improved performance. Despite these results, further investigation is crucial to validate any potential environmental risks associated with CDA and to comprehend its long-term effects at various conditions.
Topics: Biofouling; Bioreactors; Fatty Acids, Monounsaturated; Biofilms; Membranes, Artificial; Wastewater; Waste Disposal, Fluid; Extracellular Polymeric Substance Matrix; Sewage
PubMed: 38657688
DOI: 10.1016/j.chemosphere.2024.142110