Abstract
Tears are secreted from the lacrimal gland (LG), a dysfunction in which induces dry eye, resulting in ocular discomfort and visual impairment. Honey bee products are used as a nutritional source in daily life and medicine; however, little is known about their effects on dry eye. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effects of honey bee products on tear secretion capacity in dry eye. We selected raw honey, propolis, royal jelly (RJ), pollen, or larva from commercially available honey bee products. Tear secretion capacity was evaluated following the oral administration of each honey bee product in a rat blink-suppressed dry eye model. Changes in tear secretion, LG ATP content, and LG mitochondrial levels were measured. RJ restored the tear secretion capacity and decrease in LG ATP content and mitochondrial levels to the largest extent. Royal jelly can be used as a preventative intervention for dry eye by managing tear secretion capacity in the LG.
Highlights
The ocular surface, comprising the cornea and conjunctiva, is covered by a thin layer of an aqueous tear film secreted from the lacrimal gland (LG)
To verify the potential nutritional benefits of commercially available honey bee products in the prevention of dry eye, we screened the effects of each product on tear secretion capacity in this study
Protein secretion from the LG, a critical function for tear secretion, was only evoked by royal jelly (RJ) and the decrease in tear secretion in vivo in the dry eye model was restored by RJ and propolis at a dosage sufficient for human health benefits
Summary
The ocular surface, comprising the cornea and conjunctiva, is covered by a thin layer of an aqueous tear film secreted from the lacrimal gland (LG). Dry eye disease is a multifactorial disorder characterized by the status of the tear film, results in ocular discomfort and visual impairment [3], and has become a major public health issue in industrial societies that have many of the risk factors for this disease, including the use of digital devices (computers, tablets, and smart phones) [4]. We previously demonstrated that a chronic reduction in tear production was induced by extended computer use in both human and animal studies, and suggested that LG hypofunction may be a critical mechanism in digital device-induced dry eye [7]. Temporal tear replacement therapy, the frequent application of artificial tear eye drops, has long been used in the basis management of dry eye [10]
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