Royal Jelly
Clinical Overview
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Uses of Royal Jelly
Royal jelly has been studied for its antimicrobial, antitumor, antihypertensive, anti-inflammatory, and immunoregulatory activity. Although evidence does exist for its antimicrobial activity, it does not possess recognizable preventive, therapeutic, or rejuvenatory characteristics.
Royal Jelly Dosing
There is no recent clinical evidence for an appropriate dose of royal jelly.
Contraindications
Contraindications have not yet been identified.
Pregnancy/Lactation
Information regarding safety and efficacy in pregnancy and lactation is lacking.
Royal Jelly Interactions
None well documented.
Royal Jelly Adverse Reactions
Avoid use if allergic to any of the components in royal jelly. Royal jelly has been linked with acute asthma, anaphylaxis, and death.
Toxicology
Because some individuals have hypersensitivity reactions to other bee products such as bee pollen, the potential for cross-reaction with royal jelly should be kept in mind. In fact, royal jelly consumption has been linked with acute asthma, anaphylaxis, and death, probably because of the pollen constituents.
History
Royal jelly is a milky-white secretion produced by the hypopharyngeal and mandibular glands of worker honeybees of the species Apis mellifera L. to induce differentiated growth and the development of the queen bee. Royal jelly is the principal food of the honeybee queen. Because of this specialized nutrition, queen bees differ from workers in several ways; the queens are approximately twice the size, they lay approximately 2000 eggs a day (female worker bees are infertile), and they live 5 to 8 years (approximately 40 times longer than worker bees). 1
These differences have led to the marketable assumption that ingestion of this product will do as much for humans as it does for bees; that is, increase size, improve fertility, and enhance longevity. In many countries, royal jelly has been promoted widely as a commercially available medicine, health food, and as a cosmetic (as an emollient, moisturizer, and nourishing substance). It is used in traditional medicine for longevity in Europe and Asia. Royal jelly has been sold as a skin tonic and hair growth stimulant. 1 , 2 , 3
Chemistry
Royal jelly is composed of a complex mixture of proteins (12% to 15%), sugars (10% to 16%), lipids (3% to 6%), vitamins, pheromones, free amino acids, and variable amounts of minerals. The product is rich in B vitamins, the most abundant of which is pantothenic acid. 2 , 4 , 5
Trans-10-hydroxy-D2-decanoic acid (HDA) is thought to play an important role in bee growth regulation. 6
All the major proteins in royal jelly belong to one protein family, major royal jelly proteins (MRJP). The family consists of five major royal jelly proteins (MRJP1, MRJP2, MRJP3, MRJP4, MRJP5). The proteins MRJP3 and MRJP5 are polymorphic. MRJPs account for 82% to 90% of the proteins present in royal jelly and contain a high amount of essential amino acids. Evidence suggests MRJPs play an important role in honeybee nutrition. 7
A small new peptide named apisimin was found in honeybee royal jelly. 8
Royal Jelly Uses and Pharmacology
Review of the scientific literature reveals that royal jelly has several pharmacological activities including antimicrobial, antitumor, antihypertensive, anti-inflammatory, and immunoregulatory activity. 1
AntibacterialLaboratory
The protein royalisin found in royal jelly has potent antibacterial activity against gram-positive bacteria but not against gram-negative bacteria. HDA has bacteriostatic activity against Streptococcus pyogenes and Escherichia coli . HDA has slight pH-dependent antimicrobial activity; the compound is 25% less active than penicillin and 20% less active than chlortetracycline. These antibacterial components are believed to modestly enhance the host defenses in honeybees. 9 , 10
AntitumorAnimal data
Royal jelly has been found to exhibit antitumor activity in experimental mouse leukemias. 11
Clinical dataResearch reveals no clinical data regarding the use of royal jelly for immunoregulation.
EstrogenicAnimal data
There is little evidence that royal jelly has estrogenic activity or affects growth, longevity, or fertility in animals. However, review of the scientific literature documents continued interest in evaluating its estrogenic potential. 12 , 13
Clinical dataResearch reveals no clinical data regarding the use of royal jelly for immunoregulation.
AntihypertensiveAnimal data
As a result of GI enzymatic hydrolysis, peptides derived from royal jelly possessed potent angiotensin 1-converting enzyme inhibitory activity in the spontaneously hypertensive rat. Another study indicated that trans-2-octenoic acid and HDA may account for the antihypertensive activity associated with royal jelly. Royal jelly also was associated with both protective action and therapeutic activity in adrenaline-induced arrhythmia. 14 , 15
Clinical dataResearch reveals no clinical data regarding the use of royal jelly for immunoregulation.
ImmunoregulatorAnimal data
MRJP3 has immunosuppressive activity and inhibits IgE and IgG1 responses in vitro and in vivo. Th2 cells are associated with several notable allergic reactions. MRJP3 exhibited potent immunoregulatory effects in OVA/alum-sensitized allergic mice that harbor a systemic Th2 response characterized by elevated production of Th2 cytokines and antigen-specific IgE synthesis. Similar immunoregulatory activity in royal jelly has been repeated in other studies. 4 , 16 , 17
Clinical dataResearch reveals no clinical data regarding the use of royal jelly for immunoregulation.
Other usesIn terms of revitalizing dried skin, the results from one 3-month study of 24 women found that 10 showed improvement, 10 had no change, and 4 showed symptoms of skin irritation. 2
Dosage
There is no recent clinical evidence for an appropriate dose of royal jelly.
Pregnancy/Lactation
Information regarding safety and efficacy in pregnancy and lactation is lacking.
Interactions
None well documented.
Adverse Reactions
Avoid use if allergic to any of the components in royal jelly. Royal jelly has been linked with acute asthma, anaphylaxis, and death.
Toxicology
Because some individuals have hypersensitivity reactions to other bee products such as bee pollen, the potential for cross-reaction with royal jelly should be kept in mind. In fact, royal jelly consumption has been linked with acute asthma, anaphylaxis, and death, 18 probably because of the pollen constituents.
There are numerous case reports of adverse respiratory effects after consuming royal jelly. One case of life-threatening respiratory distress requiring intubation and hospitalization occurred twice within a 6-week period in a 31-year-old woman with a 15-year history of mild asthma 40 minutes after ingesting royal jelly. 19
Lower abdominal pain and bloody diarrhea occurred in a 53-year-old woman 25 days after she began taking royal jelly daily. Colonoscopy revealed marked hemorrhage and edema throughout the mucosa of the sigmoid colon. Histopathological assessment revealed mucosal hemorrhage, edema, and inflammation. A drug-induced lymphocyte stimulation test for royal jelly was positive. 20
Bibliography
1. Inoue S, Koya-Miyata S, Ushio S, Iwaki K. Ikeda M, Kurimoto M. Royal jelly prolongs the life span of C3H/HeJ mice: correlation with reduced DNA damage. Exp Gerontol . 2003;38:965-969.2. Tyler VE. The New Honest Herbal . Philadelphia, PA: G.F. Stickley Co.; 1987.
3. Lower E. Royal jelly gives a buzz to skincare formulations. Manu Chem . 1996;67:41.
4. Okamoto I, Taniguchi Y, Kunikata T, et al. Major royal jelly protein 3 modulates immune responses in vitro and in vivo. Life Sci . 2003;73:2029-2045.
5. Dixit PK, Patel NG. Insulin-like activity in larval foods of the honeybee. Nature . 1964;202:189-190.
6. Barker SA, Foster AB, Lamb DC, Hodgson N. Identification of 10-hydroxy-delta 2-decenoic acid in royal jelly. Nature . 1959;183:996-997.
7. Schmitzova J, Klaudiny J, Albert S, et al. A family of major royal jelly proteins of the honeybee Apis mellifera L. Cell Mol Life Sci . 1998;54:1020-1030.
8. Bíliková K, Hanes J, Nordhoff E, Saenger W, Klaudiny J, Simuth J. Apisimin, a new serine-valine-rich peptide from honeybee ( Apis mellifera L.) royal jelly: purification and molecular characterization. FEBS Lett . 2002;528:125-129.
9. Supabphol R. Antibacterial activity of royal jelly royalisin: potent antibacterial protein from royal jelly. Mahidol Univ J Pharm Sci . 1995;22:33-38.
10. Blum MS, Novak AF, Taber S III. 10-Hydroxy-delta 2-decenoic acid, an antibiotic found in royal jelly. Science . 1959;130:452-453.
11. Townsend GF, Morgan JF, Hazlett B. Activity of 10-hydroxydecenoic acid from royal jelly against experimental leukaemia and ascitic tumours. Nature . 1959;183:1270-1271.
12. Dayan AD. J Pharm Pharmacol . 1960;12:377.
13. Kridli R, Husein M, Humphrey W. Effect of royal jelly and GnRH on the estrus synchronization and pregnancy rate in ewes using intravaginal sponges. Small Rum Res . 2003;49:25-30.
14. Matsui T, Yukiyoshi A, Doi S, Sugimoto H, Yamada H, Matsumoto K. Gastrointestinal enzyme production of bioactive peptides from royal jelly protein and their antihypertensive ability in SHR. J Nutr Biochem . 2002;13:80-86.
15. Librowski T, Czarnecki R. Comparative analysis of Apistmul Crataegi Forte and royal jelly in the experimental heart action disturbance. Herba Pol . 2000;46:145-150.
16. Taniguchi Y, Kohno K, Inoue S, et al. Oral administration of royal jelly inhibits the development of atopic dermatitis-like skin lesions in NC/Nga mice. Int Immunopharmacol . 2003;3:1313-1324.
17. Oka H, Emori Y, Kobayashi N, Hayashi Y, Nomoto K. Suppression of allergic reactions by royal jelly in association with the restoration of macrophage function and the improvement of Th1/Th2 cell responses. Int Immunopharmacol . 2001;1:521-532.
18. Leung R, Ho A, Chan J, Choy D, Lai CKW. Royal jelly consumption and hypersensitivity in the community. Clin Exp Allergy . 1997;27:333-336.
19. Peacock S, Murray V, Turton C. Respiratory distress and royal jelly. BMJ . 1995;311:1472.
20. Yonei Y, Shibagaki K, Tsukada N, et al. Case report: haemorrhagic colitis associated with royal jelly intake. J Gastroenterol Hepatol . 1997;12:495-499.
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