Bee products have a millennia-old tradition in human apitherapy, thanks to their numerous curative properties. The aim of this study was to perform a physicochemical characterization, including the percentage of water content, dry matter, pH, acidity, impurity content, protein, ash, and macro and micro minerals, and to evaluate the antioxidant activity of apiculture products, including apilarnil, royal jelly, and propolis. Samples were collected from our apiary in the Banat region of Romania in 2022 as well as from the market. Apilarnil and royal jelly were analyzed in pure and freeze-dried form, and propolis in pure and tincture form. Our results show that there is a large variability in the chemical composition and antioxidant activity of the three bee products studied, depending on the form of presentation and source of origin. In the case of commercial bee products, the best results were obtained in terms of chemical composition, including the content of macro and micro nutrients. All the samples analyzed showed acidity, pH, and impurity content values within the limits allowed by the quality standards. Apilarnil from our own apiary recorded the highest values for antioxidant activity, followed by propolis tincture and fresh propolis from own apiary.

Bee products are considered true wonders of nature, used since ancient times, and studied even today for their various biological activities. In this study, we hypothesise that Romanian bee products from different origins (micro apiary products, lyophilised forms, commercial) exhibit distinct chemical compositions, influencing their biological activities. An LC-MS analysis revealed varied polyphenolic content patterns, with cumaric acid, ferulic acid, rosmarinic acid, and quercitine identified in significant amounts across all samples. Primary anti-inflammatory evaluation phases, including the inhibition of haemolysis values and protein denaturation, unveiled a range of protective effects on red blood cells (RBC) and blood proteins, contingent upon the sample concentration. Antimicrobial activity assessments against 12 ATCC strains and 6 pathogenic isolates demonstrated varying efficacy, with propolis samples showing low efficacy, royal jelly forms displaying moderate effectiveness, and apilarnin forms exhibiting good inhibitory activity, mostly against Gram-positive bacteria. Notably, the lyophilised form emerged as the most promising sample, yielding the best results across the biological activities assessed. Furthermore, molecular docking was employed to elucidate the inhibitory potential of compounds identified from these bee products by targeting putative bacterial and fungal proteins. Results from the docking analysis showed rosmarinic and rutin exhibited strong binding energies and interactions with the putative antimicrobial proteins of bacteria (−9.7 kcal/mol to −7.6 kcal/mol) and fungi (−9.5 kcal/mol to −8.1 kcal/mol). The findings in this study support the use of bee products for antimicrobial purposes in a biologically active and eco-friendly proportion while providing valuable insights into their mechanism of action.

The severe decrease in natural sturgeon stocks has led to intensified efforts toward the development of sturgeon aquaculture and the application of reproductive biotechnologies to ensure sustainable production. In cultured male Acipenser ruthenus (sterlet), spermiation must be hormonally induced to obtain high-quality semen; however, reducing hormonal dosages while maintaining or improving sperm quality remains a major challenge. In this study, we investigated the effects of reduced doses of carp pituitary extract (CPE) and luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone agonist (LH-RH) combined with Apilarnil supplementation on spermiation and semen quality in A. ruthenus. Semen volume, pH, sperm concentration, total sperm output, total motility, and spermatozoa velocity were evaluated. Administering a reduced CPE dose (1.1 mg·kg⁻¹) combined with 1 g of Apilarnil significantly increased semen volume, sperm concentration, and total sperm output, as well as improved sperm kinematic parameters (total motility and velocity) compared with the conventional hormonal protocol. Furthermore, treatments using 50% of the standard LH-RH dose supplemented with 1 g or 2 g of Apilarnil resulted in significantly higher sperm motility and velocity than observed in the control group. These results demonstrate that Apilarnil supplementation allows for a substantial reduction in exogenous hormonal doses while enhancing spermiation efficiency and semen quality in sterlet, supporting the spermiation-induction protocol for sturgeon aquaculture.

Bee products have a millennial tradition in human use due to their numerous heal-ing properties. The paper presents the chemical characterization, antioxidant, anti-microbial and anti-inflammatory potential of royal jelly, apilarnil and propolis. These were obtained in the Banat area, Romania, in 2022. Royal jelly and apilarnil were analyzed in pure and lyophilized form and propolis in pure form and tincture. The percentage of moisture, dry matter, pH, acidity, content of impurities, sugars, proteins, ash, macro and micro minerals, total amino acids, polyphenols and flavo-noids were studied. The samples analyzed by us have a very well developed antiox-idant and according to the analysis of the mineral content of beekeeping products, an increased variability of macro and microminerals was determined, but also the lack of Pb in their composition. The flavonoid content of the samples was between 2.61519 mg QE/g sample for commercial pure apilarnil and 279.56115 mg QE/g sample for propolis harvested in 2021, and that of polyphenols between 0.63507 mg QE/g sample for natural royal jelly and 42.82186 mg QE/g sample in propolis with harvest in 2021. Propolis acts as a good antimicrobial and antiinflammatory agent, a fact that deserves to be researched in detail and exploited as a product with an ap-itherapeutic role for various microbial and inflammatory conditions.

The present study investigates the role of royal jelly as a natural endocrine modulator of serum estradiol levels in juvenile sterlets (Acipenser ruthenus), a species of major interest for sustainable aquaculture. The experiment was conducted over a period of 85 days under controlled recirculating system conditions, using four dietary treatments (n = 30 fish per group): a control group and three groups supplemented with 1%, 3%, and 5% royal jelly. Serum estradiol concentrations were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), while biometric assessment included the determination of total length (L), standard length (Sl), maximum body height (H), body circumference (C), and body mass (BM). Royal jelly supplementation significantly increased serum estradiol levels in a dose-dependent manner (p < 0.05), with the highest values recorded in the 5% group compared to the control. The proportion of individuals with non-detectable estradiol levels decreased progressively with increasing supplementation level. Biometric analysis revealed moderate effects on growth parameters, with no statistically significant differences among groups for most traits (p > 0.05), except for maximum body height, which showed a significant overall effect (ANOVA, p = 0.0089). Principal Component Analysis (PCA) highlighted the relative independence between endocrine variability and growth dynamics. Overall, the findings support the potential of royal jelly as a natural endocrine modulator of serum estradiol, representing a promising and environmentally friendly alternative to synthetic hormonal substances used in aquaculture. This approach may contribute to the development of innovative nutritional strategies for endocrine control and the optimization of biological performance in sturgeons, in accordance with the principles of sustainable aquaculture.

The present study investigates the efficacy of propolis as a natural therapeutic agent in the wound healing process following minimally invasive surgical sex determination in sterlet sturgeon (Acipenser ruthenus) specimens. The experiment was conducted under controlled conditions using 40 specimens randomly allocated into four experimental groups (n = 10 per group): one control group and three groups treated topically with different propolis formulations (propolis tincture, Larix propolis cream, and CETA propolis cream). The progression of the healing process was evaluated using a clinical erythema scoring system at successive time points over a one-month period. The results indicated a reduction in erythema in the treated groups compared to the control group, suggesting potential anti-inflammatory and wound-healing-related effects of propolis. Among the tested treatments, the CETA propolis cream showed the most favorable descriptive healing trend. The findings suggest that propolis may represent a promising natural approach for the management of postoperative lesions in sturgeons, although further studies are needed to confirm these results and to elucidate the underlying mechanisms. However, further histological, microbiological, and compositional analyses are required to confirm these preliminary observations and clarify the underlying mechanisms.