1. "Biological Safety of Stingless Bee Melipona Beecheii Honey on the Ocular Surface in Albino Rabbit Animal Model"
Jesus Cabral MD
Arturo Ramirez-Miranda MD
Alejandro Navas MD MSc
Yonathan Garfias PhD
Enrique O. Graue-Hernandez MD MSc
Research Unit
Department of Cornea and Refractive Surgery
Instituto de Oftalmologia
“Fundacion Conde de Valenciana”
Mexico City, Mexico
Dr. Ramirez-Miranda and Dr. Navas are consultants for Carl Zeiss Meditec.
Dr. Ramirez-Miranda is a speaker of Thea Laboratoires.
The remaining authors have no financial or proprietary interest in the materials presented herein.

2. INTRODUCTION
Melipones bees are distributed throughout tropical regions which main characteristic is the lack of a functional sting.
The Mayan culture used Melipona beecheii to treat several ocular diseases.
Many researchers have described the role of honey in the treatment of burns, chronic and infected wounds, skin ulcers and even cancer.

3. PURPOSE
At present, it is known that most honeys have antibacterial activity.
The purpose of this study was to establish the biological safety of Melipona bees honey used on ocular surface evaluating adverse effects, in an animal model.

4. METHODS
Adult male and female albino rabbits Oryctolagus Cuniculus (weighing grs n=6) were submitted in traps
0.5 ml of undiluted Melipona bees honey, was applied directly on the cornea of the case eye test (OD) using a sterile syringe.
0.5 ml of distilled water was applied to contralateral eye (OS; used as controls).
Animals were handled according to the ARVO Statement on the Use of Animals in Ophthalmic and Vision Research

5. METHODS
Slit lamp examinations and photodocumentation were performed pre-instillation, 1, 2, 3, 24, 48 and 72 hrs after honey instillation.

6. METHODS Outcome measures
Conjuntival irritation and sensitization (redness, edema and secretion)
Corneal opacity and/or vascularization
Iris (opacity) with the aid of a magnifying glass.

7. METHODS
The scores were added for each rabbit and 6 rabbits values were averaged per day.
The average was divided by 110 (total sum of the maximum possible scores) and the product obtained was classified as:
No irritating
Mildly irritating
Irritating
Severely irritating.

8. RESULTS
Six eyes of six adult male and female albino rabbits Oryctolagus Cuniculus (weighing grs) were available for evaluation (100%) of Melipona bees honey ocular effects.
No ocular adverse effects (SCORE <0.3) were induced over a 2 week-period.
We classified this substance as no irritating in all cases.

9. CONCLUSIONS Melipona honey may be safely used on ocular surface.
Due to its physico-chemical features, it is likely to have applications as an antibacterial, hyperosmotic and moisturizing agent.

10. CONCLUSIONS
Further studies may precede clinical trials to determine its applications on human ocular diseases, as well as comparative studies with available compounds.