Reviewed by Lexie CornerApr 8 2025
In a study published in the journal Biofunctional Materials, researchers examine the potential of bee products such as honey, pollen, and propolis as materials for wound dressings by analyzing their physicochemical properties. The study highlights the potential use of bee-derived polymeric films in wound healing and food packaging applications.
Schematic representation of the fabrication process of bee product-incorporated hydrogel networks. Chitosan-gelatin (Cs: Gel) mixtures were cast into Teflon molds to form polymeric thin films enriched with bee-derived bioactive compounds (honey, pollen, and propolis). The obtained films exhibit key properties such as being thin, adhesive, swellable, biodegradable, antioxidant, and antibacterial, making them potential candidates for biomedical applications, particularly in wound healing. Image Credit: Didem Demir/Tarsus University, Oskay Kahraman/Tarsus University, Semih Latif İpek/ Adana Alparslan Türkeş Science and Technology University, Seda Ceylan/ Adana Alparslan Türkeş Science and Technology University
Bioactive chemicals were incorporated into chitosan:gelatin films, which were used as control films, to enhance their contact angle and water vapor permeability properties. When biological properties were assessed, it was found that thin films containing bee products exhibited strong antioxidant and antibacterial activity.
The impact of bee products on wound healing processes has been widely studied. The goal of materials scientists is to examine the changes resulting from potential interactions between polymeric materials and bee products in the final product.
Honey, pollen, and propolis were selected as bee products with known biological activity and extensive use. Control samples included chitosan and gelatin, both biodegradable and biocompatible natural polymers that are commonly used in research. The polymer films were produced using the solvent casting method, which is cost-effective, simple, and fast.
Composite films were created by adding honey products to the polymer structure and were compared to control samples. Changes in the structure and potential interactions between the polymers and honey products were analyzed using various characterization methods. This study is expected to contribute to material design for wound dressings.
Bee products have been an important raw material used by humanity throughout history and, as shown in this study, can be effectively incorporated into the manufacture of polymeric films, which are valuable biomedical materials.
The bee products in the polymer framework demonstrated various characteristics. The honey-added film (CG@HON), due to its high water retention property and rapid honey release, showed low mechanical integrity in an aqueous environment, making it suitable for short-term skin rejuvenation applications such as moisturizing.
In contrast, the films with added pollen and propolis demonstrated high bioactivity, suggesting their potential for use as biocompatible antibacterial wound dressings. In addition to their bioactive properties, the films exhibited strong structural and biological properties (contact angle, elasticity, swelling ratio, antioxidant activity, antibacterial activity), highlighting their promise as biomedical materials.
Future studies on the biocompatibility of these polymeric films made with bee products, particularly regarding wound healing capabilities, could provide a better understanding of their potential applications. Additionally, controlled release properties could be explored to develop effective wound-healing dressings.
Given that bee products and chitosan can also be used in food packaging, future research could explore antibacterial active packaging using polymeric films made from bee products.
These films, with their elastic structure and favorable properties, could be further studied for use in packaging foods highly susceptible to microbiological decomposition, such as cheese and meat products.
Journal Reference:
Demir, D., et al. (2025) Bee products loaded polymeric films as a potential dressing material for skin treatments. Biofunctional Materials. doi.org/10.55092/bm20250006.