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Beeswax

What is beeswax?

Beeswax is a product made from the honeycomb of honey bees and other bees. The three primary beeswax products are yellow beeswax, white beeswax and alcohol-treated yellow beeswax. Yellow beeswax is the raw product made from honeycomb and white beeswax is bleached yellow beeswax. Among other things, beeswax is used as a medicine to reduce cholesterol levels and relieve pain. It is also used to treat inflammatory swellings, ulcers, diarrhea and hiccups. In food and beverages, yellow and white beeswax are used as stiffening ingredients. In industrial production, yellow and white beeswax are used as thickeners and emulsifiers in cosmetics. Beeswax treated with alcohol is used as an odorant in soaps and perfumes. In addition, yellow and white beeswax is also used to polish tablets and capsules.

How does beeswax work?

Beeswax has weak decongestant and anti-inflammatory effects. There is also evidence that beeswax may help to protect the stomach.

How effective is beeswax?

There is not enough scientific data to evaluate the effectiveness of beeswax in treating high cholesterol, pain, ulcers, diarrhea and hiccups. More scientific research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of beeswax in these applications.

Safety and side effects

Beeswax is considered safe and harmless for most people.

Precautions and warnings

Pregnancy and lactation: Not enough is known about the use of beeswax during pregnancy and lactation. For this reason, pregnant and breastfeeding women should avoid beeswax.

Interactions

At the present time there is no information on interactions of beeswax.

Dosage

An appropriate dosage of beeswax depends on various factors such as age, state of health and others. At the present time, there is insufficient scientific data to make a statement about appropriate dosage ranges for beeswax. For this reason, you should follow the dosage instructions on the label and/or consult a doctor or pharmacist before use.

References

  1. Carbajal D, Molina V, Valdes S, et al. Anti-inflammatory activity of D-002: an active product isolated from beeswax. Prostaglandins Leukot Essent Fatty Acids 1998;59:235-8.
  2. Carbajal D, Molina V, Valdes S, et al. Anti-ulcer activity of higher primary alcohols of beeswax. J Pharm Pharmacol 1995;47:731
  3. Carbajal D, Molina V, Valdes S, et al. Possible cytoprotective mechanism in rats of D-002, an anti-ulcerogenic product isolated from beeswax. J Pharm Pharmacol 1996;48:858-60.