Searching for Active Ingredients in Edible Bird’s Nest

Abstract

Edible bird’s nest (EBN; cubilose) is an ancient Chinese delicacy, made of the salivary secretion of specific swiftlets (such as Aerodramusfuciphagus), which has been consumed for several hundred years. Until now, EBN is still a popular luxurious food supplement for women in oriental regions. According to traditional Chinese medicinal descriptions, EBN can promote the “Qi”, corresponding to the lung/ respiratory functions; and hence which improves the healthiness of skin. However, the underlying mechanism of this medicinal theory is still largely unknown. In this review, we provided a comprehensive overview for chemical composition and biological properties of EBN.