title: [Investigation of gestagenic effect of raw drone milk in rats].
abstract: Numerous honeybee products are used in traditional medicine. The best-known honeybee products are the honey, the propolis and the royal jelly. Drone milk is a relatively little-known honeybee product. Although, drone milk is traditionally used to treat infertility and to promote vitality in both men and women in certain countries, the literature furnishes no information concerning effects of the drone milk. The oestrogenic and androgenic effects of drone milk have recently been reported in rats and the effective compounds have also been identified. The aim of this study was to determine the putative gestagenic effect of raw drone milk in rats. Maintenance of pregnancy assays revealed that drone milk was able to increase the number of surviving fetuses. This results suggested some gestagenic effects. This effect was confirmed by RT-PCR and Western blot methods in which the mRNA and protein expressions of gestagen-dependent CRLR (Calcitonin Receptor-Like Receptor) peptide were determined. To determine the efficacy of gestagenic effect of drone milk, spironolactone (weak gestagen compound) was used. The combination of drone milk and spironolactone showed more potent gestagenic effect. These results lead us to suppose that raw drone milk shows weak gestagenic effect and this effect can be increased by another weak gestagen. Further studies are required to clarify the gestagenic mechanisms of action of drone milk.
authors.forename: Adrienn
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Seres
authors.forename: Eszter
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ducza
authors.forename: Róbert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gáspár
mesh_terms: D000728:Androgens / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D001516:Bees; D015153:Blotting, Western; D058286:Calcitonin Receptor-Like Protein / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004967:Estrogens / Q000494:pharmacology; D005260:Female; D007246:Infertility / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008297:Male; D008519:Medicine, Traditional; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011372:Progestins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology*; D051381:Rats; D020133:Reverse Transcriptase Polymerase Chain Reaction; D013148:Spironolactone / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D000728:Androgens; D058286:Calcitonin Receptor-Like Protein; C545580:Calcrl protein, rat; D004967:Estrogens; D011372:Progestins; D013148:Spironolactone