Drone brood homogenate

 Biologically active compounds in bee homogenate

In terms of the content of biologically active substances, this product is not inferior to royal jelly, and can be used as a medicinal preparation and food supplement.

Drone brood is recommended for use in dietary and therapeutic purposes at the end of the larval stage or in the stage before pupation. During this period, it has the highest amount of biologically active substances and its tissues are easily processed. It is during the spinning stage of the cocoon that the larva is most suitable for selection.

The content of biologically active components was determined in an accredited laboratory of the beekeeping product processing and standardization department of the Scientific Research Institute of Beekeeping.

Physical-chemical and biochemical indicators of drone brood of different ages show that the amount of decenoic acid in it varies from 2.73 to 3.88%. The highest amount is found in sealed brood larvae and pupae.

In a comparative evaluation of gonadotropic hormones, it was found that testosterone gradually accumulates in male bees in the preimaginal stages.

The dynamics of estradiol is opposite: the amount of this hormone is much less in drone larvae in the pre-pupal and pupal stages compared to in larvae.

Drone brood has a rich and mineral composition. Sodium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, copper, and manganese have high absorbability and enhance metabolic processes in the body. The presence of cations depends on the age of the drone brood. The content of K+ cations in the brood gradually increases until the pre-pupal stage and then decreases. Na+, Ca2+, and Mg2+ cations are more present in larvae at the age of 9-9.5 days, and then their amount decreases.

Thus, biologically active components are present in drone brood at all stages of development, and it can be recommended for use in apitherapy and nutrition. The established dynamics of the content of individual components in the development of drone brood homogenate can determine the differences in the biological activity of its various stages.