Beekeeping and Bee Products; Boon for Human Health and Wealth

Abstract

The cross-fertilization by bee increases average agricultural yield by 20 to 25 percent. Its products like honey, pollen, royal jelly, propolis, bee venom have immense medical importance. Honey is useful for healing the wounds, helps to build up hemoglobin, used as laxative blood purifier, preventive against cold, cough, sore throat, eye ailments, burns and gastrointestinal disorder etc. Honey has antibiotic property and is effective in reducing the risk of heart disease, cancer and diabetes. Pollen lowers blood pressure, increases hemoglobin and erythrocyte content, useful in pernicious anemia, sterility, hypertension, in complaints of the nervous and endocrine system. Royal jelly has antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory, antiaging, vasodilative and hypotensive, antioxidant, antihypercholesterolemic and antitumor property. Royal jelly has a diuretic effect, prevents obesity, builds up resistance to infection, regulates the functioning of the endocrine glands and is good for arteriosclerosis and coronary deficiency. Bee venom acts as antibiotic and useful for lowering of blood pressure, in neural disorders and rheumatoid arthritis and acute rheumatic carditis, treating certain eye diseases, hypertension and gynecological and children’s diseases. Propolis, a resinous substance has pharmacologically active constituents as flavonoids, phenolics and other various aromatic compounds. Propolis has antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, antioxidant and antiinflammatory proprieties. It is used to treat mouth and gum disorders, gum decay, resistance to general illness, cure burns and fungal skin complaints. Beeswax is used to prepare polishes, waterproofing, electrical insulation, cosmetics, cold creams etc. It is also useful in engineering, pharmaceutical and confectionary industries.