Use of Apitherapy as a Novel Practice in the Management of Oral Diseases: A Review of Literature

Abstract

Man has always been ignorant of the plethora of natural products that are available around him. In his search for newer treatment modalities in medicine, he has reached back to the source of several vital materials that are available in nature. These natural products are not only highly bioactive, they also have several interactions that are synergistic in preventing infections, promoting healing and preserving health in total. Bees have been around much longer than humans and the pinnacle of their evolution has been the development of honey. This multifaceted material is vital to the survival of the species and plays a major role in the physiologic development and maturity of bees. Man has been harvesting this natural resource of infinite applications and has been using it in traditional medicine since time immemorial. Developments in science have led to us having a better understanding of the ingredients present in bee products and it has generated great interest in its use for medical treatment. This is the field of apitherapy. Its applications in oral diseases are not widely known. It has certainly shown great promise as being the next gold mine of therapeutic medicines that are useful in managing many oral diseases. How to cite this article Ara SA, Ashraf S, Arora V, Rampure P. Use of Apitherapy as a Novel Practice in the Management of Oral Diseases: A Review of Literature. J Contemp Dent 2013; 3(1):25-31.

Evaluation of the Efficacy of Topical Propolis versus Mucoadhesive Mycophenolate Mofetil (MMF) in the Management of Symptomatic Oral Lichen Planus

“…4 Because of these characteristics, researchers have been examining its effectiveness in treating a variety of oral disorders, including OLP, oral candidiasis, denture stomatitis, recurring aphthous ulcers, radiation mucositis, and herpes labialis. 6 On other way, muco-adhesive myco-phenolate mofetil (MMF), a precursor of myco-phenolic acid (MPA), a substance that inhibits of inosinemonophosphate-dehydrogenase (IMPDH), has become an acceptable substitute to corticosteroid therapy for individuals with autoimmune vesiculobullous conditions in order to reduce their dosage and adverse reactions. In general, it is a well-tolerated immunosuppressive drug with fewer nephrotoxic, hepatotoxic, and neurotoxic effects than other immunosuppressive drugs.…”

Apitherapy and Periodontal Disease: Insights into In Vitro, In Vivo, and Clinical Studies

“…In recent years, attention has grown towards the use of natural therapies given the numerous advantages offered by natural products compared to synthetic drugs [33][34][35]. Currently, more preference is given to natural therapies, such as apitherapy, due to the high safety margin, lower cost, and broad bioactivity compared to synthetic medicine [33].…”

“…In recent years, attention has grown towards the use of natural therapies given the numerous advantages offered by natural products compared to synthetic drugs [33][34][35]. Currently, more preference is given to natural therapies, such as apitherapy, due to the high safety margin, lower cost, and broad bioactivity compared to synthetic medicine [33]. Apitherapy is defined as the science and art of holistic healing and treatment from honeybees and their products, such as royal jelly, propolis, honey, and bee venom [36].…”

Calluna vulgaris as a Valuable Source of Bioactive Compounds: Exploring Its Phytochemical Profile, Biological Activities and Apitherapeutic Potential

“…Throughout these services, plants have a positive influence on the human population and mostly on human wellbeing [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]. As a consequence, recent decades have witnessed a continuous interest of the scientific field towards medicinal plants, natural products [ 5 , 6 , 7 ] and apitherapy [ 8 , 9 ] that can provide important resources for sustainable development [ 10 , 11 ]. Because of the importance given to plants for preventing and curing various diseases, their role has grown, and more attention has been given to the secondary metabolites and their nutritional and health benefits [ 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 ].…”