Royal jelly is a glandular secretion of the hypopharynx and jaw glands of bees. It is moist, creamy texture and is intended for feeding all the imperfect stage of the bee as well as the queen.
In the first two days of life, all larvae feed on pulp, less worker bees and more queens larvae.
After the third day the worker bees fed intermittently while the queens at their disposal plenty of pulp. The adult queens also fed exclusively with this food and all other bees with pollen and nectar.
Physical properties of royal jelly
Texture: Royal jelly is milky, creamy texture and homogeneous viscous texture.
Color: The color of royal jelly is very important because it is an indicator of freshness tou.Amesos after exegogi has asprokitrinilamperi emfanisi.Oso brighter the color, the more fresh it is. The dark color of the product is an indication of exposure to oxygen for an extended period of time, either during the process of collection, or during the
filtration process.
Upon contact of royal jelly with the air, the color changed from pale yellow (creamy) to dark gray, t’opoio not at all attractive and acquires a tholilaspodis and compact texture. This change of color due to the presence of enzymes in the royal jelly.
These enzymes in combination with the presence of oxygen, causing the oxidation of various compounds with the direct consequence of a change of color.
Smell and taste: Royal jelly is characterized by a slightly bitter flavor and sour taste due to the low pH. It has a specific gravity of 1,1 g/ml, is partially soluble in water and recommendation are indicative gyreokokoi its vegetable origin and probably debris from larva skin and wax.
Quality criteria royal jelly
There are no statutory quality standards for royal jelly resulting inability to control production and distribution of the product. In the international arena the Japanese established standards based on the composition of royal jelly, intended both for human consumption and for medicinal use.
According to Japanese standards when royal jelly is used for medicinal purposes, you should apply the following specifications:
► The pH value is between 3.5 and 4.5.
► The percentage of nitrogen content is between 1.9 and 2.5% calculated by the method of micro Kjeldhal.
► The proportion of sugar content is between 9 and 13%.
► The proportion of ash is lower than 1.5%.
► The proportion of constituents of the alcoholic extract is between 22 and 31%.
► The proportion of constituents of the alcoholic extract is between 14 and 22%.
For the application of the required heavy metals that are dissolved are not required to exceed 20 mg / Kg, the male to be < 2 mg / Kg, to message detector analytical individual use BHC, DDT, DIeldrin and service. You may not terakyklinon presence of antibiotics, streptomycin, chloromfainikolis and others.
In Europe, the international panel of scientists for honey (IHC) processes the following proposal for the establishment of standards in royal jelly.
Organoleptic and macroscopic characteristics
Royal jelly should have a shiny appearance asprouderi, gelatinous, creamy texture with a distinct sharp odor and taste. The recommendation may not be homogeneous due to the presence adiaalyton krystallondiaforetikou size.
After long diastimaapothikefsis color of royal jelly becomes yellow and the taste becomes stale.
Effects on the human body
The use of royal jelly in human therapeutics was in 1922 by R.Chauvin. Surveys conducted in patients in hospitals under strict medical supervision, and the supervision of physicians of various specialties. The survey used mainly for the effects of the product on neurasthenia, on his recovery, to overwork, geriatric, development in pregnancy and in other cases of disorders of the body.
Treatment of rheumatoid arthritis with royal jelly
Royal jelly helps fight Rheumatoid Arthritis (Tonsley, 1967). This property is due to the presence of 10ydroxydekenoikou acid, and pantothenic acid.
The experiments conducted by a team of doctors under the direction of Barton Wright, specializing in rheumatoid arthritis, as reported by Tonsley (1967). Patients were divided into three groups.
People in the first group had a balanced diet that included meat, and showed no symptoms of rheumatoid arthritidon.I amount of pantothenic acid f these individuals was 112.2 grams per 100 cubic centimeters of blood.
The second group fed with vegetables and the concentration of pantothenic acid in their blood was 262.3 grams per 100 cubic centimeters.
The third group had symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis and m’epipeda pantothenic acid 63.5 grams per 100 cubic centimeters of blood.
All 3 groups took daily 100 mm of a gram royal jelly in mead for 24 to 28 days.
Since the evolution of treatment, it was observed that t’atoma the second group who were suffering from rheumatoid arthritis, showed similar low levels of pantothenic acid t’atoma the third group. The symptoms of arthritis occurs in patients whose concentration of pantothenic acid was less than 951.0 grams per cubic centimeter of blood, and even as low were the levels are more vividly symptoms.
From these experiments demonstrated that the rheumatoid arthritis due to the body’s inability n ‘absorb pantothenic acid for lack of another factor. The factor that was 10ydroxy2dekenoiko acid which abounds in royal jelly. In other clinical trials patients were divided into three groups.
In other clinical trials patients were divided into three groups. The first group received calcium pantothenate in the form of intramuscular injections. The second group used injections of pure royal jelly and the third group used injections with royal jelly and calcium pantothenate.
The results were different for the three groups. The first group of patients experienced transient improvement and the concentration of pantothenic acid reverted to normal levels after 14 days. In the second group, the treatment had no effect. Patients in the third group followed a normal diet showed a gradual increase in the concentration of pantothenic acid and simultaneously improving the overall condition of the body.
Application of royal jelly in geriatrics
Pantothenic acid contained in royal jelly is considered to be the longevity factor. This theory has found that royal jelly slows the aging body and finds wide application in geriatrics. Doctor Destern, as reported by Willson (1975) in clinical investigations made, gave intramuscular injections, 20 milligrams lyophilized royal jelly in 134 people aged 70 to 75 years old. The patients were debilitated and had withdrawal symptoms natural forces.
The results observed after the sixth injection, and showed an improvement in appetite, regaining the weight, increased pressure in hypotensive patients and generally gained a sense of euphoria.
Application of royal jelly in pediatrics
Encouraging are the results of an established and pediatrics. Children who did not follow a normal diet, and while antibiotics, special milk had no effect when administered to children 7-8 injections royal jelly in lyophilized form, were seen dramatic improvements.
These children with senescent, pale and emaciated faces, acquired color, the look became more glamorous, returned to their original weight and became more vivid (Willson, 1957).
Also after experiments made Italian researchers led by Dr. Paolo Posperti, Francesco Ragazzini and L. Francalancia in Bologna in 1956, (Willson 1957), in infants born prematurely with doses of 25 mg royal jelly, and children up to 7.5 years with malnutrition and various diseases such as pneumonia, anemia, infections by bacteria, observed increase in body weight of children.
These children administered lyophilized royal jelly in capsules of 50 mg, royal jelly in hydroalcoholic form in capsules of 8 and 10 mg and tablets of 100 mg. The same researchers reported that the increase in weight of the body is independent of the age of the patient, the quantity of the dose and the type of royal jelly and reached the following conclusions:
► Royal jelly stimulates the appetite.
► The results are shown after 20 days of the start of treatment.
► When discontinuation of royal jelly weight stabilized, and when continued restarts n ‘increases.
► Rise and stabilized red blood cells in anemic children.
► Increased protein digestibility.
► Strengthens the capacity of the organization.
Stimulatory effect of royal jelly
After a 30 days treatment with royal jelly in honey scrambled, found improved overall mood, increased capacity for work, increased appetite and more mental and physical strength (Willson, 1957).
According to Ardry as indicated by Willson (1975), royal jelly stimulates the adrenal glands resulting in the secretion of hormones (Cortina, adrenaline) associated with metabolism of carbohydrates.
Bactericidal properties of royal jelly
Laboratory investigations showed that royal jelly has antiseptic and anti bacterial properties. This has been found by researchers who have created 4 different bacterial cultures. When inoculated cultures with an equal amount of royal jelly then the bacteria were destroyed within 1 minute. When, however, the quantity of royal jelly in a reduced proportion of 1 to 10, then the bacteria were destroyed within 30 minutes. Thus, they concluded that royal jelly contains a bacterial agent to which they attributed the antibacterial properties (Willson, 1955).
Effects of royal jelly kidney
Royal jelly and finds application in the treatment of chronic renal failure. So out of 49 patients who were taking 600 mg daily of royal jelly in 3 doses for one month improvement was observed at a rate of 75% of patients the content of urea and creatinine of folic acid as improving the overall condition of the body (Gheorghieva & Vassiliev, 1983).
Treatment of gingivitis with royal jelly
Royal jelly is a useful therapeutic agent for the protection of gums from bleeding. After treatment 40 patients aged 7-15 years old who placed daily cotton soaked with royal jelly in the gums for 2-3 hours, disappeared irritation swelling and bleeding gums (Vassiliev & Todorova 1983).
Effects of royal jelly in skin diseases
Other studies made in Czechoslovakia by Dr. Maly and colleagues (1967) showed that royal jelly is beneficial in some skin diseases. This proved after a treatment performed on 22 children, aged up to 15 years, with warts on the hands and the face. Treatment included, topical ointments royal jelly once a day for 6-8 weeks. Of the 22 children 16 had flat warts, the 4 were flat and normal moles and 9 had only normal moles. After application of the treatment was found that out of 16 patients had flat warts treated the 10 (62.5%) and the remaining 6 showed no improvement (37.5%).
All patients with normal and flat warts and moles cured disappeared. Of the two patients with normal olives, only a cured. Overall, were cured 70% of patients with flat warts and 83.3% of patients with normal moles.
Royal jelly helps to combat other skin diseases such as lupus erythematosus, erythema of the face, the hyperkeratosis. After a treatment with 56 g of royal jelly, the disease symptoms disappeared after 1 or 2 years, and accordingly, the absence of any signs of skin (Maly et al, 1967).
Effect of royal jelly in neuropsychiatric conditions
Also people suffering from general fatigue, nefropsychoseis, dizziness, find great benefit of royal jelly. This proved an experiment that took place in Czechoslovakia in 1963 by Dr. Dobrovoda (1967) in 16 patients. The dose of royal jelly were treated with 0,8 mg per kgr; o of body weight, 2 times a day for 20 days. In 8 patients the treatment was applied once, twice in 5 and 3 patients applied three times.