Biology

Microbiology

Nutraceutical

Chemistry

Phytochemical

Beeswax

Beekeeping

Royal jelly

Honey bee

Propolis

Pollen

Botany

Health benefits

Food science

Bee pollen

Antimicrobial

Biochemistry

Traditional medicine

Medicine

Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry

Beside honey, honeybees (Apis mellifera L.) are able to produce many byproducts, including bee pollen, propolis, bee bread, royal jelly, and beeswax. Even if the medicinal properties of these byproducts have been recognized for thousands of years by the ancient civilizations, in the modern era, they have a limited use, essentially as nutritional supplements or health products. However, these natural products are excellent sources of bioactive compounds, macro- and micronutrients, that, in a synergistic way, confer multiple biological activities to these byproducts, such as, for example, antimicrobial, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. This work aims to update the chemical and phytochemical composition of bee pollen, propolis, bee bread, royal jelly, and beeswax and to summarize the main effects exerted by these byproducts on human health, from the anticancer and immune-modulatory activities to the antidiabetic, hypolipidemic, hypotensive, and anti-allergic properties.

Bee Products: An Emblematic Example of Underutilized Sources of Bioactive Compounds