Displaying publications 21 - 40 of 121 in total

Abstract:
Sort:
  1. Fulltext The Mechanism of Kelulut Honey in Reversing Metabolic Changes in Rats Fed with High-Carbohydrate High-Fat Diet
    Hashim KN, Chin KY, Ahmad F
    Molecules, 2023 Mar 20;28(6).
    PMID: 36985762 DOI: 10.3390/molecules28062790
    Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is composed of central obesity, hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia and hypertension that increase an individual's tendency to develop type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular diseases. Kelulut honey (KH) produced by stingless bee species has a rich phenolic profile. Recent studies have demonstrated that KH could suppress components of MetS, but its mechanisms of action are unknown. A total of 18 male Wistar rats were randomly divided into control rats (C group) (n = 6), MetS rats fed with a high carbohydrate high fat (HCHF) diet (HCHF group) (n = 6), and MetS rats fed with HCHF diet and treated with KH (HCHF + KH group) (n = 6). The HCHF + KH group received 1.0 g/kg/day KH via oral gavage from week 9 to 16 after HCHF diet initiation. Compared to the C group, the MetS group experienced a significant increase in body weight, body mass index, systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), serum triglyceride (TG) and leptin, as well as the area and perimeter of adipocyte cells at the end of the study. The MetS group also experienced a significant decrease in serum HDL levels versus the C group. KH supplementation reversed the changes in serum TG, HDL, leptin, adiponectin and corticosterone levels, SBP, DBP, as well as adipose tissue 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11βHSD1) level, area and perimeter at the end of the study. In addition, histological observations also showed that KH administration reduced fat deposition within hepatocytes, and prevented deterioration of pancreatic islet and renal glomerulus. In conclusion, KH is effective in preventing MetS by suppressing leptin, corticosterone and 11βHSD1 levels while elevating adiponectin levels.
    Matched MeSH terms: Bees
  2. Fulltext Stingless Bee (Heterotrigona Itama) Honey and Its Phenolic-Rich Extract Ameliorate Oxidant-Antioxidant Balance via KEAP1-NRF2 Signalling Pathway
    Cheng MZSZ, Amin FAZ, Zawawi N, Chan KW, Ismail N, Ishak NA, et al.
    Nutrients, 2023 Jun 22;15(13).
    PMID: 37447162 DOI: 10.3390/nu15132835
    Diabetes is associated with an imbalance between oxidants and antioxidants, leading to oxidative stress. This imbalance contributes to the development and progression of diabetic complications. Similarly, renal and liver diseases are characterised by oxidative stress, where an excess of oxidants overwhelms the antioxidant defense mechanisms, causing tissue damage and dysfunction. Restoring the oxidant-antioxidant balance is essential for mitigating oxidative stress-related damage under these conditions. In this current study, the efficacy of stingless bee honey (SBH) and its phenolic-rich extract (PRE) in controlling the oxidant-antioxidant balance in high-fat diet- and streptozotocin/nicotinamide-induced diabetic rats was investigated. The administration of SBH and PRE improved systemic antioxidant defense and oxidative stress-related measures without compromising liver and renal functioning. Analyses of the liver, skeletal muscle and adipose tissues revealed differences in their capacities to scavenge free radicals and halt lipid peroxidation. Transcriptional alterations hypothesised tissue-specific control of KEAP1-NRF2 signalling by upregulation of Nrf2, Ho1 and Sod1 in a tissue-specific manner. In addition, hepatic translational studies demonstrated the stimulation of downstream antioxidant-related protein with upregulated expression of SOD-1 and HOD-1 protein. Overall, the results indicated that PRE and SBH can be exploited to restore the oxidant-antioxidant imbalance generated by diabetes via regulating the KEAP1-NRF2 signalling pathway.
    Matched MeSH terms: Bees
  3. Fulltext Application of Propolis in Protecting Skeletal and Periodontal Health-A Systematic Review
    Ekeuku SO, Chin KY
    Molecules, 2021 May 25;26(11).
    PMID: 34070497 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26113156
    Chronic inflammation and oxidative stress are two major mechanisms leading to the imbalance between bone resorption and bone formation rate, and subsequently, bone loss. Thus, functional foods and dietary compounds with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory could protect skeletal health. This review aims to examine the current evidence on the skeletal protective effects of propolis, a resin produced by bees, known to possess antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activities. A literature search was performed using Pubmed, Scopus, and Web of Science to identify studies on the effects of propolis on bone health. The search string used was (i) propolis AND (ii) (bone OR osteoporosis OR osteoblasts OR osteoclasts OR osteocytes). Eighteen studies were included in the current review. The available experimental studies demonstrated that propolis could prevent bone loss due to periodontitis, dental implantitis, and diabetes in animals. Combined with synthetic and natural grafts, it could also promote fracture healing. Propolis protects bone health by inhibiting osteoclastogenesis and promoting osteoblastogenesis, partly through its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory actions. Despite the promising preclinical results, the skeletal protective effects of propolis are yet to be proven in human studies. This research gap should be bridged before nutraceuticals based on propolis with specific health claims can be developed.
    Matched MeSH terms: Bees
  4. Fulltext Honey and its nutritional and anti-inflammatory value
    Ranneh Y, Akim AM, Hamid HA, Khazaai H, Fadel A, Zakaria ZA, et al.
    BMC Complement Med Ther, 2021 Jan 14;21(1):30.
    PMID: 33441127 DOI: 10.1186/s12906-020-03170-5
    Inflammation is the main key role in developing chronic diseases including cancer, cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, arthritis, and neurodegenerative diseases which possess a huge challenge for treatment. With massively compelling evidence of the role played by nutritional modulation in preventing inflammation-related diseases, there is a growing interest into the search for natural functional foods with therapeutic and preventive actions. Honey, a nutritional healthy product, is produced mainly by two types of bees: honeybee and stingless bee. Since both types of honey possess distinctive phenolic and flavonoid compounds, there is recently an intensive interest in their biological and clinical actions against inflammation-mediated chronic diseases. This review shed the light specifically on the bioavailability and bioaccessibility of honey polyphenols and highlight their roles in targeting inflammatory pathways in gastrointestinal tract disorders, edema, cancer, metabolic and cardiovascular diseases and gut microbiota.
    Matched MeSH terms: Bees
  5. Fulltext Stingless Bee Honey Improves Spatial Memory in Mice, Probably Associated with Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor (BDNF) and Inositol 1,4,5-Triphosphate Receptor Type 1 (Itpr1) Genes
    Mustafa MZ, Zulkifli FN, Fernandez I, Mariatulqabtiah AR, Sangu M, Nor Azfa J, et al.
    Evid Based Complement Alternat Med, 2019;2019:8258307.
    PMID: 31885664 DOI: 10.1155/2019/8258307
    This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of stingless bee honey (SBH) supplementation on memory and learning in mice. Despite many studies that show the benefits of honey on memory, reports on the nootropic effects of SBH are still lacking, and their underlying mechanism is still unclear. SBH is a honey produced by the bees in the tribe of Meliponini that exist in tropical countries. It features unique storage of honey collected in cerumen pots made of propolis. This SBH may offer a better prospect for therapeutic performance as the previous report identifies the presence of antioxidants that were greater than other honey produced by Apis sp. In this study, SBH was tested on Swiss albino mice following acute (7 days) and semichronic (35 days) supplementation. Experiments were then conducted using Morris water maze (MWM) behaviour analysis, RT-PCR for gene expression of mice striatum, and NMR for metabolomics analysis of the honey. Results indicate spatial working memory and spatial reference memory of mice were significantly improved in the honey-treated group compared with the control group. Improved memory consolidations were also observed in prolonged supplementation. Gene expression analyses of acutely treated mice demonstrated significant upregulation of BDNF and Itpr1 genes that involve in synaptic function. NMR analysis also identified phenylalanine, an essential precursor for tyrosine that plays a role at the BDNF receptor. In conclusion, SBH supplementation for seven days at 2000 mg/kg, which is equivalent to a human dose of 162 mg/kg, showed strong capabilities to improve spatial working memory. And prolonged intake up to 35 days increased spatial reference memory in the mice model. The phenylalanine in SBH may have triggered the upregulation of BDNF genes in honey-treated mice and improved their spatial memory performance.
    Matched MeSH terms: Bees
  6. Fulltext Polyphenols as key players for the antileukaemic effects of propolis
    Abubakar MB, Abdullah WZ, Sulaiman SA, Ang BS
    Evid Based Complement Alternat Med, 2014;2014:371730.
    PMID: 24772179 DOI: 10.1155/2014/371730
    Propolis (a bee product) which has a long history of medicinal use by humans has attracted a great deal of research interest in the recent time; this is due to its widely reported biological activities such as antiviral, antifungal, antibacterial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and anticarcinogenic properties. Crude form of propolis and its phenolic contents have both been reported to exhibit antileukaemic effects in various leukaemia cell lines. The ability of the polyphenols found in propolis to arrest cell cycle and induce apoptosis and differentiation in addition to inhibition of cell growth and proliferation makes them promising antileukaemic agents, and hence, they are believed to be a key to the antileukaemic effects of propolis in different types of leukaemia. This paper reviews the molecular bases of antileukaemic activity of both crude propolis and individual polyphenols on various leukaemia cell lines, and it indicates that propolis has the potential to be used in both treatment and prevention of leukaemia. This however needs further evaluation by in vitro, in vivo, and epidemiological studies as well as clinical trials.
    Matched MeSH terms: Bees
  7. Fulltext Protective Effect of Sundarban Honey against Acetaminophen-Induced Acute Hepatonephrotoxicity in Rats
    Afroz R, Tanvir EM, Hossain MF, Gan SH, Parvez M, Aminul Islam M, et al.
    Evid Based Complement Alternat Med, 2014;2014:143782.
    PMID: 25530774 DOI: 10.1155/2014/143782
    Honey, a supersaturated natural product of honey bees, contains complex compounds with antioxidant properties and therefore has a wide a range of applications in both traditional and modern medicine. In the present study, the protective effects of Sundarban honey from Bangladesh against acetaminophen- (APAP-) induced hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity in experimental rats were investigated. Adult male Wistar rats were pretreated with honey (5 g/kg) for 4 weeks, followed by the induction of hepatotoxicity and nephrotoxicity via the oral administration of a single dose of APAP (2 g/kg). Organ damage was confirmed by measuring the elevation of serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP), alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate transaminase (AST), total protein (TP), total bilirubin (TB), urea, creatinine, and malondialdehyde (MDA). Histopathological alterations observed in the livers and the kidneys further confirmed oxidative damage to these tissues. Animals pretreated with Sundarban honey showed significantly markedly reduced levels of all of the investigated parameters. In addition, Sundarban honey ameliorated the altered hepatic and renal morphology in APAP-treated rats. Overall, our findings indicate that Sundarban honey protects against APAP-induced acute hepatic and renal damage, which could be attributed to the honey's antioxidant properties.
    Matched MeSH terms: Bees
  8. Fulltext Review of the medicinal effects of tualang honey and a comparison with manuka honey
    Ahmed S, Othman NH
    Malays J Med Sci, 2013 May;20(3):6-13.
    PMID: 23966819 MyJurnal
    Tualang honey (TH) is a Malaysian multifloral jungle honey. In recent years, there has been a marked increase in the number of studies published in medical databases regarding its potential health benefits. The honey is produced by the rock bee (Apis dorsata), which builds hives on branches of tall Tualang trees located mainly in the north-western region of Peninsular Malaysia. This review collates the results of the various studies of TH that range from research on tissue culture to randomised control clinical trials. Findings thus far show that, TH has antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antimutagenic, antitumor, and antidiabetic properties, in addition to wound-healing attributes. Some of its properties are similar to the well-researched Manuka honey (New Zealand and/or Australian monofloral honey). Distinct differences include higher phenolics, flavonoids, and 5-(hydroxymethyl) furfural (HMF). Compared with Manuka honey, TH is also more effective against some gram-negative bacterial strains in burn wounds.
    Matched MeSH terms: Bees
  9. Fulltext Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects of Tualang honey in alkali injury on the eyes of rabbits: experimental animal study
    Bashkaran K, Zunaina E, Bakiah S, Sulaiman SA, Sirajudeen K, Naik V
    BMC Complement Altern Med, 2011;11:90.
    PMID: 21982267 DOI: 10.1186/1472-6882-11-90
    Alkali injury is one of the most devastating injuries to the eye. It results in permanent unilateral or bilateral visual impairment. Chemical eye injury is accompanied by an increase in the oxidative stress. Anti-inflammatory and antioxidant agents play a major role in the treatment of chemical eye injuries. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the anti-inflammatory (clinical and histopathological) and antioxidant effects of Tualang honey versus conventional treatment in alkali injury on the eyes of rabbits.
    Matched MeSH terms: Bees*
  10. Fulltext Physicochemical and antioxidant properties of Malaysian honeys produced by Apis cerana, Apis dorsata and Apis mellifera
    Moniruzzaman M, Khalil MI, Sulaiman SA, Gan SH
    BMC Complement Altern Med, 2013;13:43.
    PMID: 23433009 DOI: 10.1186/1472-6882-13-43
    The aim of the present study was to evaluate the physicochemical and antioxidant properties of Malaysian monofloral honey samples-acacia, pineapple and borneo honey-and compare them with tualang honey. Acacia and pineapple honey are produced by Apis mellifera bees while borneo and tualang honey are produced by Apis cerana and Apis dorsata bees, respectively.
    Matched MeSH terms: Bees*
  11. Fulltext Radioprotective Effects of Kelulut Honey in Zebrafish Model
    Adenan MNH, Yazan LS, Christianus A, Md Hashim NF, Mohd Noor S, Shamsudin S, et al.
    Molecules, 2021 Mar 12;26(6).
    PMID: 33809054 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26061557
    Large doses of ionizing radiation can damage human tissues. Therefore, there is a need to investigate the radiation effects as well as identify effective and non-toxic radioprotectors. This study evaluated the radioprotective effects of Kelulut honey (KH) from stingless bee (Trigona sp.) on zebrafish (Danio rerio) embryos. Viable zebrafish embryos at 24 hpf were dechorionated and divided into four groups, namely untreated and non-irradiated, untreated and irradiated, KH pre-treatment and amifostine pre-treatment. The embryos were first treated with KH (8 mg/mL) or amifostine (4 mM) before irradiation at doses of 11 Gy to 20 Gy using gamma ray source, caesium-137 (137Cs). Lethality and abnormality analysis were performed on all of the embryos in the study. Immunohistochemistry assay was also performed using selected proteins, namely γ-H2AX and caspase-3, to investigate DNA damages and incidences of apoptosis. KH was found to reduce coagulation effects at up to 20 Gy in the lethality analysis. The embryos developed combinations of abnormality, namely microphthalmia (M), body curvature and microphthalmia (BM), body curvature with microphthalmia and microcephaly (BMC), microphthalmia and pericardial oedema (MO), pericardial oedema (O), microphthalmia with microcephaly and pericardial oedema (MCO) and all of the abnormalities (AA). There were more abnormalities developed from 24 to 72 h (h) post-irradiation in all groups. At 96 h post-irradiation, KH was identified to reduce body curvature effect in the irradiated embryos (up to 16 Gy). γ-H2AX and caspase-3 intensities in the embryos pre-treated with KH were also found to be lower than the untreated group at gamma irradiation doses of 11 Gy to 20 Gy and 11 Gy to 19 Gy, respectively. KH was proven to increase the survival rate of zebrafish embryos and exhibited protection against organ-specific abnormality. KH was also found to possess cellular protective mechanism by reducing DNA damage and apoptosis proteins expression.
    Matched MeSH terms: Bees/chemistry
  12. Fulltext Chemical Profile, Antioxidant Properties and Antimicrobial Activities of Malaysian Heterotrigona itama Bee Bread
    Suleiman JB, Mohamed M, Abu Bakar AB, Nna VU, Zakaria Z, Othman ZA, et al.
    Molecules, 2021 Aug 15;26(16).
    PMID: 34443531 DOI: 10.3390/molecules26164943
    The aim of the study was to determine the chemical profile, antioxidant properties and antimicrobial activities of Heterotrigona itama bee bread from Malaysia. The pH, presence of phytochemicals, antioxidant properties, total phenolic content (TPC) and total flavonoid content (TFC), as well as antimicrobial activities, were assessed. Results revealed a decrease in the pH of bee bread water extract (BBW) relative to bee bread ethanolic extract (BBE) and bee bread hot water extract (BBH). Further, alkaloids, flavonoids, phenols, tannins, saponins, terpenoids, resins, glycosides and xanthoproteins were detected in BBW, BBH and BBE. Also, significant decreases in TPC, TFC, DPPH activity and FRAP were detected in BBW relative to BBH and BBE. We detected phenolic acids such as gallic acid, caffeic acid, trans-ferulic acid, trans 3-hydroxycinnamic acid and 2-hydroxycinnamic acid, and flavonoids such as quercetin, kaempferol, apigenin and mangiferin in BBE using high-performance liquid chromatography analysis. The strongest antimicrobial activity was observed in Klebsilla pneumonia (MIC50 1.914 µg/mL), followed by E. coli (MIC50 1.923 µg/mL), Shigella (MIC50 1.813 µg/mL) and Salmonella typhi (MIC50 1.617 µg/mL). Bee bread samples possess antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. Bee bread contains phenolic acids and flavonoids, and could be beneficial in the management and treatment of metabolic diseases.
    Matched MeSH terms: Bees/chemistry*
  13. Pancreatoprotective effects of Geniotrigona thoracica stingless bee honey in streptozotocin-nicotinamide-induced male diabetic rats
    Aziz MSA, Giribabu N, Rao PV, Salleh N
    Biomed Pharmacother, 2017 May;89:135-145.
    PMID: 28222394 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopha.2017.02.026
    Stingless bee honey (SLBH) has been claimed to possess multiple health benefits. Its anti-diabetic properties are however unknown. In this study, ability of SLBH from Geniotrigona thoracica stingless bee species in ameliorating pancreatic damage and in maintaining metabolic profiles were investigated in diabetic condition.

    METHODS: SLBH at 1 and 2g/kg/b.w. was given orally to streptozotocin (STZ)-nicotinamide-induced male diabetic rats for 28days. Metabolic parameters (fasting blood glucose-FBG and lipid profiles-LP and serum insulin) were measured by biochemical assays. Distribution and expression level of insulin, oxidative stress marker i.e. catalase, inflammatory markers i.e. IKK-β, TNF-α, IL-1β and apoptosis marker i.e. caspase-9 in the pancreatic islets were identified and quantified respectively by immunohistochemistry. Levels of NF-κβ in pancreas were determined by enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA).

    RESULTS: SLBH administration to diabetic male rats prevented increase in FBG, total cholesterols (TC), triglyceride (TG) and low density lipoprotein (LDL) levels. However, high density lipoprotein (HDL) and serum insulin levels in diabetic rats receiving SLBH increased. Additionally, histopathological changes and expression level of oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptosis markers in pancreatic islets of diabetic rats decreased with increased expression level of insulin in the islets. LC-MS analysis revealed the presence of several compounds in SLBH that might be responsible for these effects.

    CONCLUSIONS: SLBH has great potential to be used as agent to protect the pancreas against damage and dysfunction where these could account for its anti-diabetic properties.

    Matched MeSH terms: Bees/chemistry*
  14. Optimising the production of succinate and lactate in Escherichia coli using a hybrid of artificial bee colony algorithm and minimisation of metabolic adjustment
    Tang PW, Choon YW, Mohamad MS, Deris S, Napis S
    J Biosci Bioeng, 2015 Mar;119(3):363-8.
    PMID: 25216804 DOI: 10.1016/j.jbiosc.2014.08.004
    Metabolic engineering is a research field that focuses on the design of models for metabolism, and uses computational procedures to suggest genetic manipulation. It aims to improve the yield of particular chemical or biochemical products. Several traditional metabolic engineering methods are commonly used to increase the production of a desired target, but the products are always far below their theoretical maximums. Using numeral optimisation algorithms to identify gene knockouts may stall at a local minimum in a multivariable function. This paper proposes a hybrid of the artificial bee colony (ABC) algorithm and the minimisation of metabolic adjustment (MOMA) to predict an optimal set of solutions in order to optimise the production rate of succinate and lactate. The dataset used in this work was from the iJO1366 Escherichia coli metabolic network. The experimental results include the production rate, growth rate and a list of knockout genes. From the comparative analysis, ABCMOMA produced better results compared to previous works, showing potential for solving genetic engineering problems.
    Matched MeSH terms: Bees/metabolism*
  15. Identification of Lactobacillus plantarum, Lactobacillus pentosus and Lactobacillus fermentum from honey stomach of honeybee
    Tajabadi N, Mardan M, Saari N, Mustafa S, Bahreini R, Manap MY
    Braz J Microbiol, 2013;44(3):717-22.
    PMID: 24516438
    This study aimed to isolate and identify Lactobacillus in the honey stomach of honeybee Apis dorsata. Samples of honeybee were collected from A. dorsata colonies in different bee trees and Lactobacillus bacteria isolated from honey stomachs. Ninety two isolates were Gram-stained and tested for catalase reaction. By using bacterial universal primers, the 16S rDNA gene from DNA of bacterial colonies amplified with polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Forty-nine bacterial 16S rDNA gene were sequenced and entrusted in GenBank. Phylogenetic analysis showed they were different phylotypes of Lactobacillus. Two of them were most closely relevant to the previously described species Lactobacillus plantarum. Other two phylotypes were identified to be closely related to Lactobacillus pentosus. However, only one phylotype was found to be distantly linked to the Lactobacillus fermentum. The outcomes of the present study indicated that L. plantarum, L. pentosus, and L. fermentum were the dominant lactobacilli in the honey stomach of honeybee A. dorsata collected during the dry season from Malaysia forest area - specifically "Melaleuca in Terengganu".
    Matched MeSH terms: Bees/microbiology*
  16. Fulltext Antiproliferative effect of methanolic extraction of tualang honey on human keloid fibroblasts
    Nurul Syazana MS, Halim AS, Gan SH, Shamsuddin S
    BMC Complement Altern Med, 2011;11:82.
    PMID: 21943200 DOI: 10.1186/1472-6882-11-82
    Keloid is a type of scar which extends beyond the boundaries of the original wound. It can spread to the surrounding skin by invasion. The use of Tualang honey is a possible approach for keloid treatment. The objective of this study was to determine the antiproliferative effect of methanolic extraction of Tualang honey to primary human keloid fibroblasts and to identify the volatile compounds in methanol extraction of Tualang honey.
    Matched MeSH terms: Bees/metabolism
  17. Fulltext Optimization of γ-aminobutyric acid production by Lactobacillus plantarum Taj-Apis362 from honeybees
    Tajabadi N, Ebrahimpour A, Baradaran A, Rahim RA, Mahyudin NA, Manap MY, et al.
    Molecules, 2015 Apr 15;20(4):6654-69.
    PMID: 25884548 DOI: 10.3390/molecules20046654
    Dominant strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) isolated from honey bees were evaluated for their γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)-producing ability. Out of 24 strains, strain Taj-Apis362 showed the highest GABA-producing ability (1.76 mM) in MRS broth containing 50 mM initial glutamic acid cultured for 60 h. Effects of fermentation parameters, including initial glutamic acid level, culture temperature, initial pH and incubation time on GABA production were investigated via a single parameter optimization strategy. The optimal fermentation condition for GABA production was modeled using response surface methodology (RSM). The results showed that the culture temperature was the most significant factor for GABA production. The optimum conditions for maximum GABA production by Lactobacillus plantarum Taj-Apis362 were an initial glutamic acid concentration of 497.97 mM, culture temperature of 36 °C, initial pH of 5.31 and incubation time of 60 h, which produced 7.15 mM of GABA. The value is comparable with the predicted value of 7.21 mM.
    Matched MeSH terms: Bees/microbiology*
  18. Varroa jacobsoni (Acari: Varroidae) is more than one species
    Anderson DL, Trueman JW
    Exp Appl Acarol, 2000 Mar;24(3):165-89.
    PMID: 11108385
    Varroa jacobsoni was first described as a natural ectoparasitic mite of the Eastern honeybee (Apis cerana) throughout Asia. It later switched host to the Western honeybee (A. mellifera) and has now become a serious pest of that bee worldwide. The studies reported here on genotypic, phenotypic and reproductive variation among V. jacobsoni infesting A. cerana throughout Asia demonstrate that V. jacobsoni is a complex of at least two different species. In a new classification V. jacobsoni is here redefined as encompassing nine haplotypes (mites with distinct mtDNA CO-I gene sequences) that infest A. cerana in the Malaysia Indonesia region. Included is a Java haplotype, specimens of which were used to first describe V. jacobsoni at the beginning of this century. A new name, V. destructor n. sp., is given to six haplotypes that infest A. cerana on mainland Asia. Adult females of V. destructor are significantly larger and less spherical in shape than females of V. jacobsoni and they are also reproductively isolated from females of V. jacobsoni. The taxonomic positions of a further three unique haplotypes that infest A. cerana in the Philippines is uncertain and requires further study. Other studies reported here also show that only two of the 18 different haplotypes concealed within the complex of mites infesting A. cerana have become pests of A. mellifera worldwide. Both belong to V. destructor, and they are not V. jacobsoni. The most common is a Korea haplotype, so-called because it was also found parasitizing A. cerana in South Korea. It was identified on A. mellifera in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and the Americas. Less common is a Japan/Thailand haplotype, so-called because it was also found parasitizing A. cerana in Japan and Thailand. It was identified on A. mellifera in Japan, Thailand and the Americas. Our results imply that the findings of past research on V. jacobsoni are applicable mostly to V. destructor. Our results will also influence quarantine protocols for bee mites, and may present new strategies for mite control.
    Matched MeSH terms: Bees/parasitology*
  19. Fulltext Apibacter adventoris gen. nov., sp. nov., a member of the phylum Bacteroidetes isolated from honey bees
    Kwong WK, Moran NA
    Int J Syst Evol Microbiol, 2016 Mar;66(3):1323-1329.
    PMID: 26743158 DOI: 10.1099/ijsem.0.000882
    Honey bees and bumble bees harbour a small, defined set of gut bacterial associates. Strains matching sequences from 16S rRNA gene surveys of bee gut microbiotas were isolated from two honey bee species from East Asia. These isolates were mesophlic, non-pigmented, catalase-positive and oxidase-negative. The major fatty acids were iso-C15 : 0, iso-C17 : 0 3-OH, C16 : 0 and C16 : 0 3-OH. The DNA G+C content was 29-31 mol%. They had ∼87 % 16S rRNA gene sequence identity to the closest relatives described. Phylogenetic reconstruction using 20 protein-coding genes showed that these bee-derived strains formed a highly supported monophyletic clade, sister to the clade containing species of the genera Chryseobacterium and Elizabethkingia within the family Flavobacteriaceae of the phylum Bacteroidetes. On the basis of phenotypic and genotypic characteristics, we propose placing these strains in a novel genus and species: Apibacter adventoris gen. nov., sp. nov. The type strain of Apibacter adventoris is wkB301T ( = NRRL B-65307T = NCIMB 14986T).
    Matched MeSH terms: Bees/microbiology*
  20. Studies on the antioxidant properties of Tualang honey of Malaysia
    Mohamed M, Sirajudeen K, Swamy M, Yaacob NS, Sulaiman SA
    Afr J Tradit Complement Altern Med, 2009 Oct 15;7(1):59-63.
    PMID: 21304614
    Honey has been used since ancient times for its nutritional as well as curative properties. Tualang honey is collected from wild honey bees' hives on Tualang trees found in the Malaysian rain forest. It has been used traditionally for the treatment of various diseases, where its therapeutic value has partly been related to its antioxidant properties. This study therefore assessed the colour intensity, total phenolic content, antioxidant activity and antiradical activity of gamma irradiated Tualang Honey. The colour intensity at ABS₄₅₀ was 489.5 ± 1.7 mAU, total phenolic content was 251.7 ± 7.9 mg (gallic acid) /Kg honey, total antioxidant activity by FRAP assay was 322.1 ± 9.7 (µM Fe(II)) and the antiradical activity by DPPH assay was 41.30 ± 0.78 (% inhibition). The data confirms that the antioxidant properties of gamma irradiated Tualang honey are similar to other types of honeys reported in the literature.
    Matched MeSH terms: Bees
Related Terms
Filters
Contact Us

Please provide feedback to Administrator (afdal@afpm.org.my)

External Links