Chemical composition of different honey bee products: a functional food in the prevention of COVID 19

Honey bee products (honey, propolis, bee wax, pollen, royal jelly and api toxin) can be defined as a popular, natural substance, from the bee hive. Primarily, honey bees use bee bread, pollen, and honey for brood growing (nutrition), but humans use this products in folk medicine and apitherapy according to the powerful healing properties and content of different molecules (bioactive, antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, etc.). The biological properties of honey bee products depend on their chemical composition, the melliferous plants in the region, geographical area, season, climatic conditions, etc. Honey bee products contain about 250 different substances, such as proteins, macro-and microelements, lipids, free amino acids, fatty acids (linoleic, linolenic, and arachidonic), flavonoids, phenolic compounds, vitamins, and enzymes. Many different scientific articles have been published in international journals with a focus on the chemical composition of honey bee products. Studies on honey bee products are very limited, especially concerning its chemical composition, nutritional values, and antioxidant activities. This issue contributes to the knowledge of the chemical composition, nutritional value and bioactivity of honey bee products as a functional food, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic

22/06/2025