Royal jelly, a name in traditional Chinese medicine. It is a milky-white, gelatinous substance secreted by the pharyngeal and postpharyngeal glands of worker bees of the Apis genus, such as the Chinese honeybee. It is cultivated in most regions of China. It has tonic and fortifying properties. It is used as an adjunctive treatment for conditions such as neurosis, hypertension, cardiovascular insufficiency, chronic hepatitis, peptic ulcers, diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis.
Royal Jelly
Royal jelly, a name in traditional Chinese medicine. It is a milky-white, gelatinous substance secreted by the pharyngeal and postpharyngeal glands of worker bees of the Apis genus, such as the Chinese honeybee. It is cultivated in most regions of China. It has tonic and fortifying properties. It is used as an adjunctive treatment for conditions such as neurosis, hypertension, cardiovascular insufficiency, chronic hepatitis, peptic ulcers, diabetes, and rheumatoid arthritis.
Chinese Name : 蜂王浆
Latin Name : Apis cerana Fabr/Apis mellifera L.
Aliases : Bee milk, royal jelly, queen’s milk, royal jelly, queen’s secretion, queen’s essence
Nature, Flavor & Meridian Tropism : Sweet and sour in taste; neutral in nature. Entering the Liver and Spleen meridians
Benefits & Efficacy
Benefits
Nourishing and fortifying.
Indications
Used as an adjunctive treatment for neurosis, hypertension, cardiovascular insufficiency, chronic hepatitis, peptic ulcer disease, diabetes, rheumatoid arthritis, and other conditions.
Usage and Dosage
Oral use: Dissolve 50–200 mg in warm water.
Precautions
Contraindicated for patients with damp-heat diarrhea or dysentery; use with caution in pregnant women.
Chemical Constituents
"Royal jelly," the special food for young queen bees, contains on average 66% moisture, 0.82% ash, 12.34% protein, 5.46% fat, 12.49% total reducible substances, and 2.84% unknown substances; its composition varies with the larval growth stage. Royal jelly contains five types of sugars, four of which are fructose, glucose, sucrose, and ribose.Among its fats, it contains a significant amount of the special fatty acid omega-hydroxy-Δ2-decenoic acid. Royal jelly is rich in vitamins; while the B1 content remains stable, the levels of other B vitamins may fluctuate significantly from day to day. Some sources suggest that B1 and B2 gradually decrease during storage, while the levels of other B vitamins remain relatively constant. When larvae reach 72 hours of development, royal jelly contains trace amounts of vitamin A.Royal jelly also contains free and bound biotin, as well as abundant pantothenic acid, folic acid, and inositol. Two acetylcholine-like substances have also been identified: (1) 2-amino-4-hydroxy-6-(L-erythro-1,2-dihydroxypropyl)-pyrimidine, commonly known as protopyrimidine; and (2) an adenine nucleoside analog.Italian royal jelly contains arginine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, lysine, proline, β-alanine, and others.Of the 14 amino acids present, the last three are found in the highest concentrations. Royal jelly contains FAD (flavin adenine dinucleotide), FMN (flavin mononucleotide), vitamin B1, and canine urea, with the latter reaching a concentration of 172.21 micrograms per gram; the proteins it contains include albumin, β- and γ-globulins, and insoluble proteins.It also contains acetylcholine. The lipids present include glycerol esters of stearic acid and phospholipids.
Pharmacological Actions
1. Strengthens the body’s resistance and promotes growth. 2. Effects on the endocrine system. 3. Effects on the circulatory system. 4. Effects on hematopoietic organs. 5. Effects on blood glucose levels. 6. Antibacterial effects. 7. Analgesic effects.
Applications
Clinical Applications
1. Treatment of Acute Infectious Hepatitis
Take 1% royal jelly honey (a mixture of royal jelly and honey) orally: 5 grams for children under 4 years old, 10 grams for children aged 5–10, and 20 grams for those 10 years and older. Take one dose daily, divided into two administrations. A treatment course lasts 20 days; complete three consecutive courses.In a study of 22 cases, various symptoms improved significantly within 3–14 days; the liver shrank markedly in about 3 weeks; serum transaminase levels decreased by more than 40 units or returned to normal in about 10 days; and other laboratory test results improved significantly within 9–18 days.It has a beneficial effect on improving liver function. However, during treatment, a small number of cases exhibited reactions such as an increase in absolute eosinophil count compared to baseline, sinus arrhythmia (including one case with skipped beats), rash, and diarrhea.
2. Treatment of Chronic Rheumatoid Arthritis
Take 400 mg of royal jelly daily for 3–6 consecutive months.Preliminary observations of 28 cases showed that 7 cases demonstrated significant improvement (improved general condition and marked reduction in joint pain), 3 cases showed improvement (improved general condition and slight reduction in joint pain), 10 cases remained stable (general condition unchanged from before treatment, no improvement in joint pain, but no acute flare-ups), and 8 cases showed no response. The drug generally begins to take effect 3–4 weeks after starting treatment; only a small number of patients require 6–7 weeks to see results.No adverse reactions were observed during treatment; occasional symptoms such as dry mouth, headache, and constipation were reported but resolved spontaneously within a short period.
3. Application in Neuropsychiatric Disorders
In neurology, 16 cases of progressive muscular dystrophy were treated with 300–600 mg daily for periods ranging from half a month to over 3 months; among these, 8 cases showed significant improvement and 1 case showed mild improvement.In psychiatry, the drug was used to treat 9 cases of schizophrenia, paralytic dementia, menopausal depression, neurosis, and mental retardation. Treatment began with a daily dose of 100 mg, which was increased weekly until reaching a maximum daily dose of 800 mg (up to 400 mg per dose). The treatment duration ranged from 6 to 10 weeks, with a total dose of 19,200–30,600 mg.Results: One case showed marked improvement; two cases exhibited mental stimulation; one case of mental retardation became more compliant than before; the remaining five cases showed no improvement.
Processing & Preparation
Harvesting & Processing
Royal jelly should be harvested 48–72 hours after larval transfer. Inspect the royal jelly-producing colony: if the wax cups have been converted from worker cells to queen cells by the worker bees and the larvae inside have grown, royal jelly can be harvested. Harvesting should be performed in a clean room while wearing work clothes and a mask. First, remove the slats from each section, use small tweezers to transfer the larvae out, then scoop out the royal jelly and immediately place it in a brown glass bottle, seal it tightly, and refrigerate at a low temperature.
Processing Methods
Take the raw material and remove any impurities. Store it in a dry container in a cool, dry place.
Storage Methods
Seal tightly and refrigerate at a low temperature.
Crude Drug Identification
Properties of Crude Drugs
This product is a milky white to pale yellow or reddish gelatinous liquid. It has a sour, astringent, and pungent taste. Milky white to pale yellow specimens are considered superior, while those with a reddish tint are of inferior quality.
Botanical Information
Morphological Characteristics
1. The Chinese honeybee: A colony consists of worker bees, a queen, and drones. Worker bees are entirely covered with yellowish-brown hairs. Their heads are slightly triangular. The thorax has three segments. They have two pairs of transparent, membranous wings. They have three pairs of legs equipped with structures for collecting pollen. The abdomen is conical and contains venom glands and a stinger. On the underside of the abdomen are four pairs of wax plates containing wax glands that secrete wax.The queen is the largest member of the colony; she has short wings, an exceptionally long abdomen, and well-developed reproductive organs, and is dedicated solely to reproduction and egg-laying. Drones are slightly larger than worker bees; they have spherical heads, and their abdomens lack venom glands and stingers. Their legs lack structures for collecting and storing pollen, and their abdomens lack wax plates and wax glands.
2. Italian Honeybee: Its body resembles that of the Chinese honeybee but is larger.
Distribution Area
They are raised in most regions of China.