A review of selected bee products as potential anti-bacterial, anti-fungal, and anti-viral agents

Abstract

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is one of the greatest medical challenges the world faces. It was estimated recently that by 2050, AMR will account for 10 million extra deaths annually with additional economic costs in the region of $100 trillion. In order to combat this, novel antimicrobial agents with a broad spectrum of activity are required. Bee products, including; honey, propolis, defensins, royal jelly, bee pollen and venom have been used to treat infectious diseases for several centuries, although they were largely disregarded by Western medicine during the antibiotic era. There has since been a resurgence in interest in their antimicrobial properties, especially due to their reported activity against multi-drug resistant pathogens displaying high levels of AMR. In this paper we review the current scientific literature of honey, propolis, honey bee, defensins, royal jelly, bee pollen and bee venom. We highlight the antimicrobial activity each of these products has displayed and potential future research directions.