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Background: Bee venom is a promising agent for use in cancer treatment due to its selective cytotoxic potential for cancer cells through apoptotic pathways. However, there is no evidence for changes in epigenome and mitochondrial DNA copy numbers after bee venom application. The purpose of this study was to determine the impact of bee venom on cytosine modifications and mitochondrial DNA copy number variation. Methods: A broad range of methods was applied to elucidate the impact of bee venom on neoplastic cells. These included MTT assay for detection of cytotoxicity, immunostaining of cytosine modifications and mitochondria, assessment of cellular morphology by flow cytometry and quantification of mitochondrial DNA copy numbers using QPCR. Results: Bee venom-induced cell death was selective for cancer cells, where it triggered a response characterised by alteration of cytosine modification. In contrast, normal cells were more resistant to DNA modifications. Furthermore, application of the venom resulted in variation of mitochondrial membrane permeability and mitochondrial DNA copy numbers, together with alterations in cell morphology manifesting as a reduced affected cell size. Conclusion: The study findings suggest that bee venom can be used as a selective DNA (de)methylating agent in cancer. Various agents (such as Decitabine and 5-azacytidine) have been synthesized and developed for use in cancer treatment, and a range of syntheses, and preparation and application methods have been described for these patented drugs. However, to the best of our knowledge, no previous research has investigated the use of bee venom or any component thereof for epigenetic therapy in cancer cells.

Propolis is an important antifungal agent found naturally in beehives and used as a food supplement for many purposes. This study aimed to use methanolic propolis extract (MPE) as a treatment material as an antifungal agent for wood preservation. Scots pine and paulownia woods were exposed to Trametes versicolor and Neolentinus lepideus fungi for 12 weeks, and untreated woods were used as the controls. Compared with the control, paulownia wood exposed to N. lepideus had a 47.2% mean mass loss, while the treated wood with 7% MPE had an 11.6% mean mass loss. In addition, a 27.2% mass loss occurred with the control for Scots pine when exposed to N. lepideus, and a 2.5% mass loss occurred with the 7% propolis-treated specimens. Total phenolic content and the phenolic profile of the raw propolis samples were also analyzed. Scanning electron microscopy images showed that the propolis extracts still remained in the wood cells without being degraded after the fungal destruction and the propolis-treated specimens were more durable against fungal decay compared to the untreated control specimens. The results from this study indicated that propolis could be used as an environmentally compatible and natural wood preservative to protect wood against fungal attack.

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Honey bees collect the main material of propolis from the buds, leaves, branches, and barks or other botanical sources and mixed that resinous material with beeswax produced from abdominal endocrine glands, mandibular gland secretions, and pollen to produce propolis. The composition of propolis changes depends on multiple factors such as honey bee race, geographical location, phytogeography, harvesting season and method, extraction method and solvent. In this study, two different studies were conducted in two different locations in order to reveal the effect of race and season variables on the composition and antioxidant value of propolis. The effect of race factor studied on three different honey bee races (Apis mellifera caucasica, Apis mellifera syriaca and Apis mellifera carnica) and two different ecotypes (Muğla ecotype and Yığılca ecotype) to investigate the effects of race factor on propolis composition in Central Anatolia by under controlled conditions. The effect of seasonal change was determined by A. melifera anatoliaca Yığıca ecotype in a apiary located in Yığılca, Düzce location. Studied samples harvested by 3 propolis trap between May and October. Total phenolic content, total antioxidant capacity and chemical profiles of propolis samples were determined using HPLC-UV. The obtained results showed that honey bee race and season has an effect on the antioxidant capacity and chemical composition of propolis.