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- Chemical, cytotoxic, and anti-inflammatory assessment of honey bee venom from Apis mellifera intermissaPublication . El Mehdi, Iouraouine; Falcão, Soraia I.; Harandou, Mustapha; Boujraf, Saïd; Calhelha, Ricardo; Ferreira, Isabel C.F.R.; Anjos, O.; Campos, Maria da Graça; Vilas-Boas, MiguelThe venom from Apis mellifera intermissa, the main honey bee prevailing in Morocco, has been scarcely studied, despite its known potential for pharmacological applications. In the present work, we investigated the composition, the anti-inflammatory activity, and the venom’s cytotoxic properties from fifteen honey bee venom (HBV) samples collected in three regions: northeast, central, and southern Morocco. The chemical assessment of honey bee venom was performed using LC-DAD/ESI/MSn , NIR spectroscopy and AAS spectroscopy. The antiproliferative effect was evaluated using human tumor cell lines, including breast adenocarcinoma, non-small cell lung carcinoma, cervical carcinoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, and malignant melanoma. Likewise, we assessed the anti-inflammatory activity using the murine macrophage cell line. The study provides information on the honey bee venom subspecies’ main components, such as melittin, apamin, and phospholipase A2, with compositional variation depending on the region of collection. Contents of toxic elements such as cadmium, chromium, and plumb were detected at a concentration below 5 ppm, which can be regarded as safe for pharmaceutical use. The data presented contribute to the first study in HBV from Apis mellifera intermissa and highlight the remarkable antiproliferative and anti-inflammatory effects of HBV, suggesting it to be a candidate natural medicine to explore.
- Using analytic hierarchy process to assess beekeeping suitability in Portuguese controlled areas : a first approachPublication . Roque, Natália; Fernandez, Paulo; Silveira, Carlos; Vilas-Boas, Miguel; Anjos, O.Beekeeping management is greatly influenced by spatial factors (e.g., land use/land cover, roads, or electrical energy networks), so GIS are a powerful tool to overlap and relate a variety of spa- tial data levels and, consequently, a very useful tool for beekeeping activity planning. This study was developed within the intervention area of three controlled zones managed by Portuguese Beekeepers Associations. The methodology, based on multi-criteria decision analysis, integrates several criteria, such as hydrographic networks, road networks, soil occupation, solar radiation, and electromagnetic radiation sources. These criteria were proposed and evaluated through online questionnaires carried out with beekeepers. Concerning the selected criteria and the respective geographical data, the most relevant were land use/land cover and water availability, with a significance of 44% and 24%, respectively. The beekeeping suitability map enabled us to evaluate the degree of compliance for the actual location of apiaries, with 60% of the apiaries being installed in high potential areas. In the context of beekeeping planning, the potential of the techniques applied seems to be an important tool for optimizing the location of apiaries and the profitability of beekeeping.
- Assessing beekeeping potential in a Portuguese area with honey Protected Designation of OriginPublication . Silveira, Carlos; Roque, Natália; Fernandez, Paulo; Anjos, O.; Vilas-Boas, MiguelThis study aims to assess the beekeeping potential in a Portuguese area with honey protected designation of origin (PDO) following a multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) for supporting beekeepers in the selection of the best locations for apiaries, thus maximizing honey production and reducing the risk of bee colony losses.
- Melissopallinology characterization of Portuguese honeys with protected designation of originPublication . Almeida, Paulo Ruddo; Lima, Irailde; Anjos, O.; Paulo, Luísa; Vilas-Boas, MiguelThe European Union created, through Regulations No. 2081/92 and No. 2082/92, Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) as an instrument for valuing agricultural products with distinctive particularities, demanding for this purpose the establishment of requirements set out in a specification book.