Bees are responsible for pollinating and maintaining 75% of crops for human consumption. However, one of the diseases that increases the population deficit is nosema ceranae, a fungus that these days seeks to be eliminated through the innovative "Lowen B", a natural drug with antifungal properties based on a natural extract of olive leaves and harmless to the species.

This fungus is a worldwide disease that affects the digestive tract of bees and is partly responsible for its decline. And, on the other hand, recent research places it as one of the causes of hive collapse syndrome, a name that recognizes the depopulation of hives without an apparent cause.

The project "Pharmaceutical product for use in Apis mellifera, based on plant extract, for the control of infection caused by the worldwide pathogen Nosema ceranae" is supported by the Foundation for Agricultural Innovation (FIA) and executed by the team of Research of the Universidad del Desarrollo (UDD) together with the company ApiQuality. This formulation made it possible to develop and validate in response to the decline in the population of bees due to Nosemosis and the deficit of bees that affects the agri-food sector and the beekeeping value chain.

The coordinator of the project, Jessica Martínez, highlighted that the innovation “reduces the level of nosemosis infection by over 80% and has also shown effectiveness against other conditions in the hive, such as the bacteria Paenibacillus larvae causal agent of American foulbrood, a disease for which there is currently no treatment.

Martínez added that in order to achieve the breakthrough, meticulous work was carried out that included, in the first instance, the validation of a prototype at the laboratory level to ensure that it is not toxic to bees. Then, it went on to field trials to test and validate it under real conditions (climate, temperature, nectar and pollen).

"The beekeepers believe in the project and made their bees available at the time, using 40 hives in apiaries that were naturally infected by nosemosis and after applying Lowen B we could see that the hives are strengthened, which was reflected in the increase in the population of adult and breeding bees (presence of larvae) and in the increase in honey production”, concluded Martínez.

Natural

Another of Lowen B's characteristics is that it can also be considered a food supplement of plant origin with antifungal properties based on a natural extract of olive leaves, harmless to the species. In addition, it is formulated with excipients of natural origin for the control and prevention of pathogens that affect honey bees. To ensure its consumption and preventive and/or curative effect, it must be administered as a syrup in the food, a practical and safe system for the insect and the beekeeper.

In this line, the executive director of the FIA, Francine Brossard, mentioned that "it is essential to highlight that Lowen B, is of natural origin, for which it is a contribution to the sustainable development (economic, social and environmental) of small and medium beekeeping. , since it does not contaminate bee populations, hive products and therefore is harmless to end consumers. As FIA, we hope that the project will achieve the excellent results achieved, specifying the corresponding request for registration of this natural beekeeping drug, before the SAG, which will allow small and medium-sized beekeepers in our country to have an efficient natural product for both prevent and control nosemosis in their bee colonies.

Finally we must emphasize that, although the formulation is not yet registered and for sale, the project is an innovation that seeks to revolutionize the market as it is a new natural drug that strengthens the beekeeping industry which, in addition to providing numerous hive products (honey, propolis, royal jelly, pollen, wax), plays a more important role in the balance ecological and food security and sovereignty by offering pollination services for 75% of agricultural crops.