Medicinal Properties of Royal Jelly

Apiculture, or beekeeping, is the science of prolonging, sustaining, and retaining well-being using products from beehives, including honey, bee bread, bee venom, bee pollen, propolis, and royal jelly (RJ). In this chapter, the antimicrobial activities and health benefits of RJ are explored. The main bioactive compounds of RJ, which are water, sugar, proteins, lipids, vitamins, and some mineral salts, have been widely reported in the literature. RJ has been used as a dietary supplement worldwide with a list of healing properties largely because of its beneficial effects, including antioxidant, antitumor, and anti-inflammatory effects. The antibacterial and antiviral effects of honey have been recommended by the World Health Organization for symptomatic treatment, especially for RJ. It has been reported that RJ reduces bacterial motility and synergistically increases the antioxidant activities. A study has shown that RJ has estrogenic effects in vitro and in vivo, which indicates the potential of RJ in regulating sex hormones.