Stingless Bee Honey, the Natural Wound Healer: A Review

Antibacterial-Integrated Collagen Wound Dressing for Diabetes-Related Foot Ulcers: An Evidence-Based Review of Clinical Studies

Diabetic foot ulcer (DFU) is a chronic wound frequently delayed from severe infection. Wound dressing provides an essential barrier between the ulcer and the external environment. This review aimed to analyse the effectiveness of antibacterial collagen-based dressing for DFU treatment in a clinical setting. An electronic search in four databases, namely, Scopus, PubMed, Ovid MEDLINE(R), and ISI Web of Science, was performed to obtain relevant articles published within the last ten years. The published studies were included if they reported evidence of (1) collagen-based antibacterial dressing or (2) wound healing for diabetic ulcers, and (3) were written in English. Both randomised and non-randomised clinical trials were included. The search for relevant clinical studies (n) identified eight related references discussing the effectiveness of collagen-based antibacterial wound dressings for DFU comprising collagen impregnated with polyhexamethylene biguanide (n = 2), gentamicin (n = 3), combined-cellulose and silver (n = 1), gentian violet/methylene blue mixed (n = 1), and silver (n = 1). The clinical data were limited by small sample sizes and multiple aetiologies of chronic wounds. The evidence was not robust enough for a conclusive statement, although most of the studies reported positive outcomes for the use of collagen dressings loaded with antibacterial properties for DFU wound healing. This study emphasises the importance of having standardised clinical trials, larger sample sizes, and accurate reporting for reliable statistical evidence confirming DFU treatment efficiency.

Antioxidant-Based Medicinal Properties of Stingless Bee Products: Recent Progress and Future Directions

Stingless bees are a type of honey producers that commonly live in tropical countries. Their use for honey is being abandoned due to its limited production. However, the recent improvements in stingless bee honey production, particularly in South East Asia, have brought stingless bee products back into the picture. Although there are many stingless bee species that produce a wide spread of products, known since old eras in traditional medicine, the modern medical community is still missing more investigational studies on stingless bee products. Whereas comprehensive studies in the current era attest to the biological and medicinal properties of honeybee (Apis mellifera) products, the properties of stingless bee products are less known. This review highlights for the first time the medicinal benefits of stingless bee products (honey, propolis, pollen and cerumen), recent investigations and promising future directions. This review emphasizes the potential antioxidant properties of these products that in turn play a vital role in preventing and treating diseases associated with oxidative stress, microbial infections and inflammatory disorders. Summarizing all these data and insights in one manuscript may increase the commercial value of stingless bee products as a food ingredient. This review will also highlight the utility of stingless bee products in the context of medicinal and therapeutic properties, some of which are yet to be discovered.

In vitro modulation of extracellular matrix genes by stingless bee honey in cellular aging of human dermal fibroblast cells

This study determined the antiaging effect of stingless bee honey on the expression of extracellular matrix genes. MTS (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium, inner salt) assay was performed for determination of optimum concentration and incubation time of stingless bee honey. Gene expression of matrix metalloproteinase-1 (MMP-1) and collagen type Ⅰ (COL1A1) were analyzed using real time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction technique. Incubation with stingless bee honey at concentration of 0.02% for 72 hr showed significant increase in the viability of human fibroblast cells. Stingless bee honey significantly downregulates metalloproteinase-1 gene expression in both pre-senescence and senescence fibroblast cells and upregulates collagen type Ⅰ gene expression in senescence fibroblast cells. In conclusion, stingless bee honey potentially delayed skin aging through modulation of extracellular matrix genes. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: Changes of the extracellular matrix regulation promote skin aging. Stingless bee honey is a good source of natural antioxidant which potentially delays skin aging. This study demonstrated that stingless bee honey beneficially increases collagen type Ⅰ expression and decreases MMP-1 expression during cellular aging of human dermal fibroblast cells.

Purification and characterization of proteins in multifloral honey from kelulut bee (stingless bee)

The kelulut bee (Meliponini) is a subfamily of stingless bees that produce honey. A total of 89 species out of a total of 500 species of kelulut bees are known to originate from the Indo-Australian region. Kelulut bees do not have quality standards so they still refer to the Codex and EU Directive which basically only applied for Apis honey. The Codex and EU Directive are formed by several psychochemical parameters, one of it is diastase activity. Diastase activity in kelulut honey is known not to meet existing standards or even undetectable. Therefore, this study aimed to explore proteins inside kelulut honey and investigate the possibility of using a specific protein as a biomarker to differentiate honey produced by kelulut bee from other honey. This research can also be considered as an initial step to optimize the exploration of protein in kelulut honey. This research is divided into two sections which are the preliminary research and the research expansion. From preliminary section, glucose dehydrogenase enzyme (GDH) was found to be present inside Tetragonula spp honey. A further examination of GDH enzyme was made in four kelulut bee honeys namely Tetragonula leaviceps, T. biroi, Heterotrigona itama, and Geniotrigona thoracica. The preliminary research has five stages that are exactly the as expansion research section except it didn't include GDH activity measurement. The research includes seven main stages. First honeys were dialyzed to remove the sugar content followed by centrifugation. The samples were then purified using liquid chromatography with anion exchanger column. The molecular weight of proteins was analysed by SDS-PAGE method. The GDH activity was measured using spectrophotometer followed by qualitative analysis using LC-MS/MS. The peptide sequences resulted from LC-MS/MS were then matched with Uniprot to identify the unknow protein. The results showed that only T. biroi and T. laeviceps had GDH enzyme activity of 0,1891 U/mL and 0,1652-1,579 U/mL, respectively. Bands from both species were also qualitatively identified as GDH. With these results, it can be concluded that the GDH enzyme cannot be used as a biomarker to distinguish the kelulut honey.

A Comparative Characterization of Physicochemical and Antioxidants Properties of Processed Heterotrigona itama Honey from Different Origins and Classification by Chemometrics Analysis

Stingless bee honey produced by Heterotrigona itama from different botanical origins was characterised and discriminated. Three types of stingless bee honey collected from acacia, gelam, and starfruit nectars were analyzed and compared with Apis mellifera honey. The results showed that stingless bee honey samples from the three different botanical origins were significantly different in terms of their moisture content, pH, free acidity, total soluble solids, colour characteristics, sugar content, amino acid content and antioxidant properties. Stingless bee honey was significantly different from Apis mellifera honey in terms of physicochemical and antioxidant properties. The amino acid content was further used in the chemometrics analysis to evaluate the role of amino acid in discriminating honey according to botanical origin. Partial least squares-discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) revealed that the stingless bee honey was completely distinguishable from Apis mellifera honey. Notably, a clear distinction between the stingless bee honey types was also observed. The specific amino acids involved in the distinction of honey were cysteine for acacia and gelam, phenylalanine and 3-hydroxyproline for starfruit, and proline for Apis mellifera honey. The results showed that all honey samples were successfully classified based on amino acid content.

Oral Submucous Fibrosis: A Review on Etiopathogenesis, Diagnosis, and Therapy

Oral submucous fibrosis (OSF) is characterized by abnormal collagen deposition. It is a precancerous disorder and transforms into a malignant tumor in 1.5–15% of all cases. Symptoms include submucous fibrosis, ulceration, xerostomia, a burning sensation, and restricted mouth opening. All of these greatly interfere with patient quality of life. The present review introduces OSF from a molecular perspective and summarizes what is known about its underlying mechanisms, diagnostic biomarkers, and therapeutic interventions. In addition to the aggressive treatment of OSF, its prevention is also important. Future research should, therefore, focus on improving the oral health literacy of the patients susceptible to OSF.

Honey-Based Salve and Burdock Leaf Dressings as an Alternative to Surgical Debridement of a Traumatic Wound Eschar

Objective: Nonviable necrotic eschar is an impedance to wound healing and can ultimately lead to failure of soft tissue coverage in traumatic or high-risk wounds. Topical therapeutic agents can provide a less invasive management alternative to surgical debridement of eschar.

Approach: The case of a 40-year-old male with a traumatic right lower extremity amputation complicated by surgical incision ischemic eschar formation is reported. Honey-based salve with burdock leaf dressings was used to noninvasively manage eschar extending over the incision site. Images were obtained for 5 months of follow-up.

Results: Five-month follow-up demonstrated complete resolution of eschar and re-epithelialization of skin in the affected region.

Innovation: Honey-based salve with burdock leaf dressings shows promise for enhancing healing outcomes in traumatic wounds that develop nonviable eschar.

Conclusion: Surgical debridement of an amputation stump with large ischemic eschar was avoided with the use of honey-based salve with burdock leaf dressings.

A New Approach for Indexing Honey for Its Heath/Medicinal Benefits: Visualization of the Concept by Indexing Based on Antioxidant and Antibacterial Activities

Background: The goals of the current study were to address a new concept termed a health benefits' index (HBI) and to verify the type of correlation between the pricing of honey and its HBI/medicinal properties. Diverse types of honey from different origins and places were investigated for their antioxidant and antimicrobial activity. Methods: We have utilized a modified protocol of the DPPH assay for measuring free radical scavenging and the microdilution test for the determination of antibacterial/antifungal minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs). MICs were determined against Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium, and Candida albicans microorganisms. Employing a "combined benefits approach" enabled us to attach to each honey type a unique number of HBI that correlate with honey health and medicinal values. Results: The various types of honey demonstrated significant but variable antioxidant, antibacterial, and antifungal activities. Types of wildflower-labeled honey were found to have a wide range of HBI values and medicinal properties, probably due to their containing different nectar contents/phytochemicals. Moreover, an inconsiderable correlation was detected between the market prices of different types of honey and their HBIs. Conclusions: The proposed index of health benefits could be recalculated/updated following measurement of more and more medicinal properties, such as anti-inflammatory, antidiabetic, and anticancer activities. This index could be used as an effective tool for consumers of honey to evaluate the real value of the purchased product.