Scientists in Moncton are looking to honey bees for new solutions to an age-old problem: arthritis. They have discovered that a type of resin the bees collect from trees could be used to treat inflammatory diseases.
Dr. Luc Boudreau, who is leading the team of researchers, said that early tests have been promising, suggesting that the resin, called propolis, may be more useful than many of the drugs that are currently available.
“When we did in-vitro tests, this compound is actually better than most compounds that are already out there on the market,” he told the CBC.
Boudreau and his team are currently waiting for approval from Health Canada so they can begin clinical testing. They’re hoping to hear back in the next three months and, if the trials go well, to have the product on shelves in the next three years.
The team was recently awarded a $75,000 grant from the New Brunswick Innovation Foundation, and is looking to partner with investors and beekeepers in the near future.
