Drone Brood Homogenate as Natural Remedy for Treating Health Care Problem: A Scientific and Practical Approach

Abstract

Drone brood homogenate is a little-known bee product used in folk medicine to treat various health problems. It is a very nutritious milky substance with high content of nutrients: proteins, lipids, fatty acids, carbohydrates, vitamins (A, B, E and D), and minerals. Moreover, when collected on early stage of larvae development, it is, most of all, rich source of sex hormone (testosterone, progesterone and estradiol). Some beekeepers consider drone brood as a waste product, although in some countries they use it to fight Varroa. Meanwhile, in many scientific reports a curative effect of bee drone homogenate in treating urgent global health problems have been confirmed, including ovarian dysfunction in women and male infertility, thyroid and immunity disorders, as well as malnutrition in children. A few dietary supplements based on drone brood are available online. Many patents relating to drone brood-based dietary supplements have been filed in Russia, but their prevalence in EU countries is still limited. Further research is needed to fully recognize the pharmacological activity and increase the use of drone brood.

Antioxidant Activity of Frozen and Freeze-Dried Drone Brood Homogenate Regarding the Stage of Larval Development

“…Drone brood homogenate, less commonly called drone milk, is a little-known bee product that is often disregarded in articles relating to beekeeping products [ 1 , 2 , 3 ] or marginalized with a brief mention [ 4 ]. This bee product is obtained from drone larvae collected from the bee family in the spring or early summer, according to the authors of [ 5 , 6 ]. Although the main role of drones is to participate in the mating flight during which the queen is inseminated, a certain percentage of drones (5–10% of the adult bee colony population) is present in the hive throughout the beekeeping season [ 6 ].…”

“…This bee product is obtained from drone larvae collected from the bee family in the spring or early summer, according to the authors of [ 5 , 6 ]. Although the main role of drones is to participate in the mating flight during which the queen is inseminated, a certain percentage of drones (5–10% of the adult bee colony population) is present in the hive throughout the beekeeping season [ 6 ]. Raw drone brood homogenate obtained by mechanical homogenization of drone larvae is a milky substance with a creamy consistency, ranging in color from white or yellow to green [ 5 ].…”

Dietary effects of drone larves homogenate on the homeostatic constants and the reproductive capacity of Large White gilts

“…The use of various biologically active substances to synchronize estrus and the onset of farrowing is the best method to reduce the cost of insemination and receiving offspring. In today's conditions, the leading role in the nutrition and normalization of sexual function in pigs belongs to the use of complex biologically active additives, among which an important nutrient diet of homogenate of drone larvae (HDL), also known as drone brood homogenate (DBH) [2][3][4].…”

Дослідження Впливу Природи Допоміжних Речовин На Показники Якості Таблеток Із Ліофілізованим Порошком Трутневого Гомогенату

“…тик даного продукту бджільництва, зокрема, наявність антиоксидантної, іммунотропної, адаптогенної, анаболічної, актопротекторної дії [1]. Відомо, що за різноманітністю вітамінного складу гомогенат займає перше місце серед усіх продуктів бджільництва, випереджаючи навіть маточне молочко [2][3][4]. Дослідження віт чизняних науковців довели цінність продуктів бджільництва та препаратів на їхній основі, які проявляють різнобічну фармакологічну активність [5][6][7].…”

“…Одним із пріоритетних шляхів розвитку сучасної фармації є розробка твердих лікарських форм на основі речовин природного походження, які характеризуються достатньою ефективністю та безпечністю в застосуванні, а тому цікавим із погляду технології таблетованих форм є трутневий гомогенат у вигляді ліофілізованого порошку, якому притаманний широкий спектр фармакологічної активності [2][3][4].…”