Royal Jelly – Mount Athos

Description

Royal jelly is white/brown to yellow/brown in color. It has an acidic taste due to its very low pH (2.5 – 4), with a slightly bitter and distinctive odor. Its texture is gelatinous and viscous, but over time it becomes more solid. The color and taste of royal jelly are indicators of its freshness and quality. If exposed to light or air, it may turn light yellow or dark gray. This change is due to enzymes that oxidize certain substances in royal jelly, which can destroy its valuable components. For this reason, it should be stored in a dark-colored glass vial.

Dosage: Half a gram every morning before meals. It is recommended to consume it sublingually. A complete treatment involves consuming 6 portions of royal jelly over the course of one year

Royal jelly is rich in:

Vitamins
Royal jelly contains vitamins B1, B2, B3, B4, B5, B6, B7, B8, B9, B12, and C. Pantothenic acid (B5) plays a significant role in the metabolism of larvae during their development.

Minerals
Royal jelly contains the following minerals: sodium, potassium, iron, calcium, zinc, chromium, manganese, and nickel.

Amino Acids
A total of 29 amino acids have been identified, with the most important being aspartic acid and glutamic acid. All essential amino acids for humans are present in royal jelly, and in sufficient proportions.

Fatty Acids
The most important is 10-hydroxy-decenoic acid, which has antibacterial and antifungal properties. It also contains hydroxy-fatty acids and dicarboxylic acids.

Sugars
The sugars in royal jelly consist mainly of fructose and glucose, making up 90%, in a ratio similar to that of honey.

Royal jelly is a glandular secretion from the hypopharyngeal and mandibular glands of bees. It is a liquid with a creamy texture and is intended for the nourishment of all the immature stages of the bee, as well as the queen bee.

During the first two days of their life, all larvae are fed royal jelly, with worker bee larvae receiving less and queen bee larvae receiving more.

After the third day, worker bees are fed royal jelly intermittently, while queen bees have an abundant supply of it. Adult queen bees also feed exclusively on royal jelly, while all other bees feed on pollen and nectar.

Natural Properties of Royal Jelly

Texture: Royal jelly has a milky, creamy texture and a homogeneous, viscous consistency.

Color: The color of royal jelly is very important as it indicates its freshness. Immediately after extraction, it has a bright, whitish-yellow appearance. The brighter the color, the fresher the royal jelly is. Darkening of the product indicates exposure to oxygen for an extended period, either during the collection process or during filtration.

When royal jelly comes into contact with air, its color changes from light yellow (creamy) to dark gray, which is not at all attractive. It also develops a cloudy, paste-like, and solid texture. This color change is due to the presence of enzymes within the royal jelly.

These enzymes, combined with the presence of oxygen, cause the oxidation of various compounds, resulting in the change of color.

Aroma and taste: Royal jelly is characterized by a slightly sharp aroma and an acidic taste, which is due to its low pH. It has a specific gravity of 1.1g/ml, is partially soluble in water, and its composition contains pollen grains indicative of its plant origin and possibly remnants of larval skin and wax. Quality criteria of royal jelly

There are no legislated quality criteria for royal jelly, resulting in a lack of control over its production and distribution. In the international arena, the Japanese have established specifications based on the composition of royal jelly, intended both for human consumption and for pharmaceutical use.

According to Japanese specifications, when royal jelly is used for pharmaceutical purposes, the following specifications must also apply:

► The pH value should be between 3.5 and 4.5. ► The nitrogen content should be between 1.9% and 2.5%, calculated using the micro Kjeldahl method. ► The percentage of sugars should be between 9% and 13%. ► The ash content should be lower than 1.5%. ► The percentage of components in the alcoholic extract should be between 22% and 31%. ► The percentage of components in the alcoholic extract should be between 14% and 22%

For consumer protection, heavy metals such as lead should not exceed 20 mg/kg, arsenic should be

In Europe, the International Honey Commission (IHC) is working on the following proposal for the establishment of standards for royal jelly.

Organoleptic and macroscopic characteristics

Royal jelly should have a bright whitish appearance, a gelatinous, creamy texture with a distinct sharp odor and taste. Its composition may not be homogeneous due to the presence of insoluble crystals of varying sizes.

After a long period of storage, the color of royal jelly changes to yellow, and its taste becomes rancid.

Effects on the human body

The use of royal jelly in human therapy began in 1922 by R. Chauvin. Research was conducted on patients in hospitals under strict medical supervision and with the oversight of doctors from various specialties. The studies mainly focused on the effects of the product on neurasthenia, convalescence, fatigue, geriatrics, development during pregnancy, and other cases of disorders in the body.

Treatment of rheumatoid arthritis with royal jelly Royal jelly helps in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (Tonsley, 1967). This property is attributed to the presence of 10-hydroxydecenoic acid and pantothenic acid.

The experiments were conducted by a team of doctors under the direction of Barton Wright, a specialist in rheumatoid arthritis, as reported by Tonsley (1967). The patients were divided into three groups.

The individuals in the first group followed a balanced diet that included meat and did not show symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. The amount of pantothenic acid in these individuals was 112.2 grams per 100 cubic centimeters of blood.

The second group was fed with vegetables, and the concentration of pantothenic acid in their blood was 262.3 grams per 100 cubic centimeters.

The third group showed symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis and had pantothenic acid levels of 63.5 grams per 100 cubic centimeters of blood.

All three groups took 100 milligrams of royal jelly in honey-water daily for 24 to 28 days.

From the progress of the treatment, it was observed that the individuals in the second group, who suffered from rheumatoid arthritis, exhibited similar low levels of pantothenic acid as those in the third group. The symptoms of arthritis appeared in patients whose pantothenic acid concentration was below 951.0 grams per cubic centimeter of blood, and the lower these levels were, the more intense the symptoms became.

The experiments proved that rheumatoid arthritis was caused by the body’s inability to absorb pantothenic acid due to the lack of another factor. This factor was 10-hydroxy-2-decenoic acid, which is abundant in royal jelly

In other clinical trials, the patients were divided into three groups. The first group was administered calcium pantothenate in the form of intramuscular injections. The second group received injections of pure royal jelly, and the third group received injections of royal jelly combined with calcium pantothenate.

The results were different for all three groups. The patients in the first group showed a temporary improvement, and the concentration of pantothenic acid returned to normal levels after 14 days. In the second group, the treatment had no effect. The patients in the third group, who followed a normal diet, showed a gradual increase in the concentration of pantothenic acid, along with an improvement in their overall health.

Application of royal jelly in geriatrics The pantothenic acid found in royal jelly is considered to be a factor in longevity. This theory led to the discovery that royal jelly slows down the aging process of the body and has significant applications in geriatrics. Dr. Destern, as reported by Willson (1975), in clinical studies he conducted, administered intramuscular injections of 20 milligrams of lyophilized royal jelly to 134 individuals aged 70 to 75 years. The patients were underweight and showed symptoms of depletion of physical strength.

The results were observed after the sixth injection and showed an improvement in appetite, weight gain, an increase in blood pressure in hypotensive patients, and overall, the patients experienced a sense of euphoria.

Application of royal jelly in pediatrics Encouraging results were also observed in pediatrics. In children who did not follow a normal diet, and where the administration of antibiotics and special milk formulas had no effect, when 7 to 8 injections of lyophilized royal jelly were given to the children, dramatic improvements were observed.

These children, with their aged, pale, and emaciated faces, regained color, their gaze became brighter, they returned to their original weight, and became more lively (Willson, 1957).

Additionally, after experiments conducted by Italian researchers led by Dr. Paolo Posperti, Francesco Ragazzini, and L. Francalancia in Bologna in 1956 (Willson 1957), on infants born prematurely who received doses of 25 mg of royal jelly, and on children up to 7.5 years old with poor nutrition and various diseases such as pneumonia, anemia, and bacterial infections, an increase in the children’s body weight was observed.

The children were administered lyophilized royal jelly in 50 mg capsules, royal jelly in hydroalcoholic form in 8 and 10 mg capsules, and in 100 mg tablets. The same researchers reported that the increase in body weight was independent of the patient’s age, the dose amount, and the type of royal jelly, and they concluded the following:

► Royal jelly stimulates appetite. ► The results are noticeable after 20 days from the start of treatment. ► When the administration of royal jelly is stopped, the weight stabilizes, and when it is resumed, it starts to increase again. ► Red blood cells increase and stabilize in anemic children. ► Protein absorption increases. ► The body’s overall vitality is strengthened.

Stimulating action of royal jelly After a 30-day treatment with royal jelly mixed with honey, an improvement in general mood was observed, along with increased work capacity, increased appetite, and greater mental and physical strength (Willson, 1957).

According to Ardry, as cited by Willson (1975), royal jelly stimulates the adrenal glands, resulting in the secretion of hormones (cortisone, adrenaline) that are related to carbohydrate metabolism.

Bactericidal properties of royal jelly Laboratory research has shown that royal jelly has antiseptic and bactericidal properties. This was demonstrated by researchers who created four different bacterial cultures. When they inoculated the cultures with an equal amount of royal jelly, the bacteria were destroyed within 1 minute. However, when the amount of royal jelly was reduced to a ratio of 1 to 10, the bacteria were destroyed within 30 minutes. Thus, they concluded that royal jelly contains a bacterial agent which they attributed to its microbiocidal properties (Willson, 1955).

Effects of royal jelly on the kidneys Royal jelly is also used in the treatment of chronic kidney failure. In a study with 49 patients who took 600 mg of royal jelly daily in 3 doses for 1 month, an improvement was observed in 75% of the patients in terms of the levels of creatinine, urea, and folic acid, as well as an overall improvement in the general condition of the body (Gheorghieva & Vassiliev, 1983).

Treatment of gingivitis with royal jelly Royal jelly is a beneficial therapeutic agent for the protection of gums from bleeding. After treatment of 40 patients aged 7 to 15 years, who placed cotton soaked in royal jelly on their gums for 2 to 3 hours daily, the irritation of the swelling and the gum bleeding disappeared (Vassiliev & Todorova, 1983).

Effects of royal jelly on skin diseases Other research conducted in Czechoslovakia by Dr. Maly and his colleagues (1967) showed that royal jelly has beneficial effects on certain skin diseases. This was demonstrated after a treatment involving 22 children, aged up to 15 years, with skin tags on their hands and face. The treatment involved local application of a royal jelly ointment once a day for 6 to 8 weeks. Of the 22 children, 16 had flat skin tags, 4 had both flat and regular skin tags, and 9 had only regular skin tags. After the treatment, it was found that out of the 16 patients with flat skin tags, 10 were cured (62.5%), while the remaining 6 showed no improvement (37.5%).

All patients with flat and regular skin tags were cured, and the skin tags disappeared. Of the 2 patients with regular skin tags, only one was cured. In total, 70% of patients with flat skin tags and 83.3% of patients with regular skin tags were cured.

Royal jelly also helps in combating other skin conditions, such as lupus erythematosus, facial erythema, and hyperkeratosis. After a treatment with 56 grams of royal jelly, the symptoms of the disease disappeared within 1 or 2 years, depending on the case, leaving no marks on the skin (Maly et al., 1967).

Effect of Royal Jelly on Neuropsychiatric Conditions Individuals suffering from general exhaustion, neuropsychiatric disorders, and dizziness experience significant benefits from royal jelly. This was demonstrated in an experiment conducted in Czechoslovakia in 1963 by Dr. Dobrovoda (1967) on 16 patients. The dosage of royal jelly administered was 0.8 mg per kilogram of body weight, taken twice daily for 20 days. The treatment was applied once for 8 patients, twice for 5 patients, and three times for 3 patients.

 

Net Weight: 10ml