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Royal jelly (蜂王漿) is the milky white or yellowish paste-like secreted from the heads of the worker bee that is used to feed the queen bee and bee larvae. The royal jelly is known to have a large source of amino acids, proteins, vitamins, minerals and other bioactive substances. Plus, it contains a rare unsaturated fatty acid known as 10-Hydroxy-2-Decenoic Acid (10-HDA), which is good for its bactericidal and anti-aging effect.

1. Scavenging extra free radicals

Too many free radicals in our body can cause tissue and vascular damage, thereby speeding up our aging process. Royal jelly contains an enzyme called Superoxide Dismutase (SOD) that protects our cell by scavenging for free radicals. Being rich in vitamin A, C, E and selenium, zinc, copper, manganese, magnesium and other trace elements, SOD is the natural anti-oxidant with its ability to eliminate the extra free radicals accumulated during metabolism. In short, prolonged use of royal jelly makes us live longer.

2. Strengthen our immune system

As we grow older, we lose our vitality and get infected with diseases often due to a weakened immune system. In this respect, royal jelly contains the royal jelly acid, taurine, vitamins and other trace elements that can restore our immune system.

3. Sexual stimulant

Pharcological researches suggest that royal jelly has properties that can stimulate sexual activity and increase adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). It is benefitial for both maintaining a healthy lifestyle and intimacy.

4. Controlling lipofuscin

Our organs gradually accumulates a substance called lipofuscin that triggers cell degeneration and weakens bodily functions. Royal jelly can tremendously reduce our lipid peroxidation (LPO) and lipofuscin accumulation in myocardial cells. At the same time, it contains large quantities of active substances that can excrete lipofuscin from our body.

5. The role of nucleic acid

Royal jelly also contains nucleic acid, which is the core component of a human body; without nucleic acid our body would not function at all. A shortage of nucleic acid can affect the rate of cell division, causing an insufficient supply of cells. This in turn reduces protein synthesis, causing body injury, disease, aging and even death.

6. Maintains nutritional balance

We all probably know by now that nutritional balance is the key success factor of staying healthy. The royal jelly is a provider of the basic nutritional substances that our body needs, regulates our physiological function and metabolism, strengthens our immune system and prevents many of the aging diseases. These are all important factors of staying alive and preventy many diseases common to many elderly people.

Herbal Medicine acth, antioxidant, bactericidal, bee, copper, free radical, hda, honey, hormone, immunity, lipid peroxidation, lipofuscin, lpo, magnesium, manganese, metabolism, myocardial cell, royal jelly, selenium, sexual stimulant, sod, superoxide, taurine, trace element, vitamin, zinc

From the past, traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has always been based on repeat experiements and attempts to discover healing formulas instead of using scientific ways of research and analysis. A recent study shows that the in vitro antioxidant activity is related to the Chinese classification of yin (陰) and yang (陽).

In TCM, herbs are known to have four natures and five flavours. The four natures can be cold, hot, warm and cool, while the five flavours are pungent, sweet, sour, bitter and salty. Basically the natures are classfied by how the body reacts after the intake of the herb, and the flavours are simply the taste of the herb on the tongue.

It was known that the Huangdi Neijing (黃帝內經), also known as the Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon, categorized the natures and flavours of Chinese herbs as pungent and sweet flavour grouping in yang, while the sour, bitter and salty flavours grouping in yin. It was possible to study and compare the therapeutic properties of different Chinese herbs based on the yin and yang compositions.

After examining 45 Chinese herbs and their category properties, the study found out that on average herbs that have the bitter flavour belonging to the yin character had a significant higher antioxidant property than herbs that have the pungent and/or sweet flavours belonging to the yang character.

The research gives some idea to finding and relating Chinese herbs to antioxidant actions, which means delaying the process of aging of the body system. By knowing how the natures and flavours react on our body we can better select the herbal medicines and food diet that best compliments our unique body system.

[eCAM 2008 5(4):429-434; doi:10.1093/ecam/nem054]

Medical News aging, antioxidant, bitter, medicine, salt, sweet, taste, tcm, therapeutic, yellow emperor, yin yang