For centuries honey has been regarded as a wonderful gift of nature in which the properties of an excellent food, beneficial alike to adults and children, are combined with medicinal properties. Ancient Russian manuscripts attached great importance to honey as a medicine. Popular medicine has successfully used it for many diseases from time immemorial. The results of experiments and observations made by the medical science in recent decades have proved that honey is an important medicine possessing many-sided therapeutic properties.Honey is very effective in the treatment of some pathological conditions of the intestinal tract, the respiratory organs, the heart, and the nerves.The knowledge that bee venom possesses medicinal properties has come down to us from remote antiquity. Written evidence, as well as the observations of many beekeepers and our own long experience, confirm the effectiveness of been venom in the treatment of rheumatic fever, neuritis and some other diseases.Honey and bee venom treatment must be carried on under the supervision of a physician and can be made a component part in a complex of curative measures for many diseases.

This book presents an updated discussion of the chemical composition and biological properties of the main bee products. Specific attention is focused on the beneficial biological activities of bee products in human health. Honey, royal jelly, propolis, bee pollen and bee venom are used as nutriment and in traditional medicine. Their composition is rather variable and depends on the floral source and external factors, such as seasonal, environmental conditions and processing. Bee products are rich in several essential nutrients and non essential nutrients, as sugars, minerals, proteins, free amino acids, vitamins, enzymes and polyphenols, that seem to be closely related to their biological functions. The effects of these products in nutrition, aging and age-related diseases, cancer, neurodegenerative diseases and pathogen infections are discussed.

The nature .and diversity of presentations at the conference on: "Bee Products: Prop erties, Applications and Apitherapy" held at Tel-Aviv on May 26--30, 1996, emphasize the increasing interest of physicians, practitioners, scientists, herbalists, dieticians, cosmeti cians, microbiologists, and beekeepers in different facets of bee products. This volume consists of a selection of 31 contributions presented at the conference and which provide information on the present status of our knowledge in this area. In spite of their diversity, they reflect the mainstream of the conference, namely: "Imported" Prod ucts (honey, pollen and propolis), Exocrine Secretions of Workers (venom, royal jelly). Toxicity and Contaminants, Quality Control, Marketing, Apitherapy, Cosmetics, etc. Since antiquity, honey as well as other bee products were used as food, as a cure for ailments of humans and animals, and as cosmetics. We hope that this volume will contribute to interdisciplinary studies on chemical composition, pharmacological effects, nutrition, and other aspects of bee products. Critical and unbiased experimental research may unravel the yet unknown composition and mode of action of bee products and elucidate many unanswered questions. The noteworthy features of this conference were the participants from all parts of the world and of different cultural backgrounds, who shared their keen interest and curios ity regarding honey bees and their products. We thank all of them for their personal con tribution to the success of this conference.

Bee venom and bee byproducts have long been known in ancient halls of medicine as beneficial and almost miraculous in their properties - a fact that modern science seems to be finally understanding, and researching. Studies focused on this amazing venom are dominating many journals and minds, adding backing and a steady voice to what those in the natural world have always known; bee venom works, and it works for many, many conditions. Known under many names, bee venom can be used to treat numerous conditions, including; allergies, hypotension, Reynaud's disease, menstrual cramps, asthma, hair loss, scars, warts, shingles and so much more. The list is almost endless and the benefits astounding. This book explains all there is to know about bee venom, where to find it, how to use, what to use it for, when you should use it, when you shouldn't, common questions, common concerns and even when using bee venom may make certain conditions more problematic. If you have a questions, this book covers it, in easy to understand, down to earth language with verifiable facts and information. Bee venom may be the miracle you have been searching for.

The stingless bees are one of the most diverse, attractive, fascinating, conspicuous and useful of all the insect groups of the tropical world. This is a formidable and contentious claim but I believe it can be backed up. They are fifty times more species rich than the honey bees, the other tribe of highly eusocial bees. They are ubiquitous in the tropics and thrive in tropical cities. In rural areas, they nest in a diversity of sites and are found on the flowers of a broad diversity of crop plants. Their role in natural systems is barely studied but they almost certainly deserve that hallowed title of keystone species. They are popular with the general public and are greatly appreciated in zoos and gardens. The chapters of this book provide abundant further evidence of the ecological and economic importance of stingless bees.

Venoms of the Hymenoptera: Biochemical, Pharmacological, and Behavioral Aspects contains papers that deals with the study of the venoms and toxins produced by insects belonging to the order of the Hymenoptera. The book provides a considerable amount of information in the study of the venoms of the Hymenoptera. There are chapters that focus on the history of the research made on the order of the Hymenoptera; the stinging apparatus; venom collection; physiological effects of venoms produced by particular insects belonging to the order; and the pharmacological uses of the venoms and toxins. Entomologists, physiologists, pharmacologists, biochemists, and researchers developing drugs and pesticides will find this text extremely useful.

Honey typically has a complex chemical and biochemical composition that invariably includes complex sugars, specific proteins, amino acids, phenols, vitamins, and rare minerals. It is reported to be beneficial in the treatment of various diseases, such as those affecting the respiratory, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and nervous systems, as well as diabetes mellitus and certain types of cancers; however, there is limited literature describing the use of honey in modern medicine. This book provides evidence-based information on the pharmaceutical potential of honey along with its therapeutic applications and precise mechanisms of action. It discusses in detail the phytochemistry and pharmacological properties of honey, highlighting the economic and culturally significant medicinal uses of honey and comprehensively reviewing the scientific research on the traditional uses, chemical composition, scientific validation, and general pharmacognostical characteristics. Given its scope, it is a valuable tool for researchers and scientists interested in drug discovery and the chemistry and pharmacology of honey.

Bee or wasp venom therapy is the therapeutic application of honeybee venom or wasp venom to the treatment of various diseases. Venoms from either honeybees or wasps are known to possess a wide variety of pharmaceutical properties. Recent studies using these venoms have demonstrated diverse mechanisms on a range of conditions. However, identification of a single constituent out of the venom, the possible mechanisms, and a justification of the route of application and formulation are essential in the future. Understanding the signalling pathways associated with the compound-mediated in vivo dynamics and further communication between cells at the molecular level will facilitate the development of new therapeutics.

Peptides play a crucial role in many physiological processes including actions as neurotransmitters, hormones, and antibiotics. Research has shown their importance in such fields as neuroscience, immunology, pharmacology, and cell biology. The Handbook of Biologically Active Peptides presents, for the first time, this tremendous body of knowledge in the field of biologically active peptides in one single reference. The section editors and contributors represent some of the most sophisticated and distinguished scientists working in basic sciences and clinical medicine. The Handbook of Biologically Active Peptides is a definitive, all-encompassing reference that will be indispensable for individuals ranging from peptide researchers, to biochemists, cell and molecular biologists, neuroscientists, pharmacologists, and to endocrinologists. Chapters are designed to be a source for workers in the field and will enable researchers working in a specific area to examine other related areas with which they would not ordinarily be familiar.*Chapters are designed to be a source for workers in the field and will enable researchers working in a specific area to examine other related areas that they would not ordinarily be familiar.*Fascinating relationships described in the book include the presence of some peptides originally found in frog skin that persist in the human human and brain where they can affect food intake and obesity.