- 2026-05-06
- Supportive care in cancer : official journal of the Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer 34(6)
- Shaden A M Khalifa
- Aida A Abd El-Wahed
- Aamer Saeed
- Maria Daglia
- Haged H El-Seedi
- Zhengxuan Wang
- Hussein Sabit
- Hongcheng Zhang
- Zhiming Guo
- Paolo Coghi
- Hesham R El-Seedi
Study Design
- Type
- Review
- Methods
- review of preclinical studies and clinical trials of bee products, particularly propolis, honey, and royal jelly, using a variety of databases; only peer-reviewed randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and published research papers were included
Purpose
Cancer is a major global issue threatening the whole world, especially developing countries. Treatment of cancer using chemotherapy and radiotherapy has several consequences that negatively affect the quality of life of cancer patients.Methods
Bee products have numerous pharmacological effects and clinical impacts due to their extraordinary chemical composition. The objective of the current work is to shed light on preclinical studies and clinical trials of bee products, particularly propolis, honey, and royal jelly, with special emphasis on their role in reducing the complications of chemotherapy and radiotherapy by employing a variety of databases. The search used specific keywords, including "bee products", "propolis", "honey", "royal jelly", "cancer", "clinical trials", "radiotherapy", and "chemotherapy". Only peer-reviewed randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and published research papers were included.Results
According to the literature review, bee-generated propolis, honey, and royal jelly have been used in animal models to reduce the adverse effects of radiotherapy and chemotherapy. Depending on the kind of cancer, different dosages and treatment times were used for certain bee products. Bee products are used in various forms, such as crude, in capsules, mouthwashes, tablets, and oils. Propolis, royal jelly, and honey are used at dosages up to 400 mg, 1 g, and 50 g, respectively. Clinical trials have further confirmed their efficacy in cancer treatment, either as standalone therapies or as supplements to conventional treatments.Conclusion
It is crucial to investigate the active mechanisms of these products further and to include them in additional clinical trials as potential cancer treatments.