Beeswax and Its Applications in Medical Fields daily life, but it is not only the substance produced. The second most important component is beeswax which forms the structure of the honeycomb and is often confused with propolis, but they are not the same. Beeswax is the natural secretion of the wax gland and is used to build the cell walls of the hive while propolis (bee glue) is a sticky resin of a plant derivative and is used to assemble the hive ; for this reason it can be combined with beeswax, but the best propolis is without beeswax. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Beeswax was originally the only natural wax used commercially and has been a valuable substance since the 14th century. The “father of medicine” Hippocrates recommended the use of beeswax in the treatment of purulent tonsillitis; Although it was first used medicinally by the ancients to make healing salves and ointments, its later use was limited to making artificial flowers, wax figures, masks, and candles. In tune with the demands of modern society and to use natural resources as a cure for many diseases, it has regained its popularity in the medical field. The medicinal value of propolis is well documented in the literature due to its antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties, but the pharmacological properties of beeswax are still under debate. The most commonly used beeswax derivative is bone wax which is the refined formulation used as the primary method to control bone bleeding during most surgical procedures. Currently, beeswax has many uses in industry, pharmacy and medicine. It is therefore important to know precisely its production, its composition and its uses. Due to the lack of literature regarding the use of beeswax in different clinical scenarios, the above article attempts to highlight the uses and advancements especially in oral and maxillofacial surgery. ProductionBeeswax is a natural wax produced by honey bees of the genus Apis mellifera and Apis cerana. They have a lifespan of 35 days and wax production occurs between the 10th and 16th day of their life with the help of 4 pairs of wax-producing glands. These glands transform the sugar they consume in the form of honey into wax which is extruded through small pores appearing as small flakes on the bees' abdomen. The flakes are transparent and turn white after being chewed and mixed with salivary secretions. These are then used by the bees as building material for their combs. Beeswax Manufacturing Methods The quality of beeswax depends greatly on the production methods; which could be either a fusion or a chemical extraction. Melting is the most frequently used process and can be carried out in the following ways: hot water extraction by forced immersion, boiling water extraction and wax press, combined steam and press extraction, steam extraction, extraction centrifugal. Chemical solvent extraction is notfeasible only in the laboratory, where small-scale wax production is necessary. The most commonly used technique is hot water extraction by forced immersion. Here, the honeycombs are immersed in water for 4-5 hours and then washed to separate the water-soluble impurities. The procedure is repeated at least 2-3 times, after which the combs are placed in an aluminum container with 20-30 liters of water and boiled to melt the wax. This mixture is filtered into another container where it is left to cool. As wax is lighter than water, it rises to the surface and can be easily separated. When allowed to cool, the wax solidifies to form a block that can be easily transported. Uses in Surgery According to the literature review, the history of the use of beeswax dates back to 1880 and various interesting uses have been mentioned in different parts of the world. The uses of beeswax in the surgical field could be listed as follows: As an augmentation material: The first documented use of beeswax was as a soft tissue augmentation material where it was used by injection to improve macrofacial aesthetics, but was later rejected secondarily. adverse tissue reaction. As an impression material: In the late 1945s, when lightweight elastomers or new imaging scanners were not yet in clinical use, the mixture of beeswax and petroleum jelly was the choice of impression material. Intraoperative impression to record the skull defect where cranioplasty with acrylic plates was performed. . It was also used to reproduce the details of the vomerine bone when the obturator was used in the management of cleft lip and palate. As a hemostatic agent: So far, the most promising use of beeswax is as a local hemostatic agent in the form of bone wax, first described by Parker and Horsley in 1892. Like all living tissue, bone bleeds when cut or fractured. requiring hemostasis to ensure visibility while maintaining a delicate balance between bleeding and clotting during surgery. The most effective and immediate way is to physically block the vascular channel and is known as tamponade. In this regard, the most used material is bone wax, which is a mixture of beeswax. Since then, bone wax has gained wide acceptance, as it is simple to use and effective in achieving hemostasis on hard tissue surfaces and the formulation has remained relatively unchanged, consisting of refined beeswax (88%) and isopropyl palmitate (12%). Treatment of myiasis: Beeswax is also used in the treatment of cases of myiasis of the oral cavity where an occlusion or suffocation approach is carried out as an adjunct to surgical debridement. In this approach, beeswax could be used to plug the orifice, forcing the aerobic larvae to the surface in search of air where they can be removed using forceps or forceps. As a covering material in sutures: Another use in the surgical field is beeswax as a covering material in non-absorbable sutures, for example: silk. Their specific use is primarily in braided or twisted sutures for ease of handling properties, particularly reduction of tissue drag when passing through the needle path and ease of sliding knots along the suture during tying. Non-adhesive dressing: After skin grafting, the most commonly used non-adhesive dressing is fibroin fabric.

Essay / Beeswax and Its Applications in Medical Fields daily life, but it is not only the substance produced. The second most important component is beeswax which forms the structure of the honeycomb and is often confused with propolis, but they are not the same. Beeswax is the natural secretion of the wax gland and is used to build the cell walls of the hive while propolis (bee glue) is a sticky resin of a plant derivative and is used to assemble the hive ; for this reason it can be combined with beeswax, but the best propolis is without beeswax. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Beeswax was originally the only natural wax used commercially and has been a valuable substance since the 14th century. The “father of medicine” Hippocrates recommended the use of beeswax in the treatment of purulent tonsillitis; Although it was first used medicinally by the ancients to make healing salves and ointments, its later use was limited to making artificial flowers, wax figures, masks, and candles. In tune with the demands of modern society and to use natural resources as a cure for many diseases, it has regained its popularity in the medical field. The medicinal value of propolis is well documented in the literature due to its antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties, but the pharmacological properties of beeswax are still under debate. The most commonly used beeswax derivative is bone wax which is the refined formulation used as the primary method to control bone bleeding during most surgical procedures. Currently, beeswax has many uses in industry, pharmacy and medicine. It is therefore important to know precisely its production, its composition and its uses. Due to the lack of literature regarding the use of beeswax in different clinical scenarios, the above article attempts to highlight the uses and advancements especially in oral and maxillofacial surgery. ProductionBeeswax is a natural wax produced by honey bees of the genus Apis mellifera and Apis cerana. They have a lifespan of 35 days and wax production occurs between the 10th and 16th day of their life with the help of 4 pairs of wax-producing glands. These glands transform the sugar they consume in the form of honey into wax which is extruded through small pores appearing as small flakes on the bees' abdomen. The flakes are transparent and turn white after being chewed and mixed with salivary secretions. These are then used by the bees as building material for their combs. Beeswax Manufacturing Methods The quality of beeswax depends greatly on the production methods; which could be either a fusion or a chemical extraction. Melting is the most frequently used process and can be carried out in the following ways: hot water extraction by forced immersion, boiling water extraction and wax press, combined steam and press extraction, steam extraction, extraction centrifugal. Chemical solvent extraction is notfeasible only in the laboratory, where small-scale wax production is necessary. The most commonly used technique is hot water extraction by forced immersion. Here, the honeycombs are immersed in water for 4-5 hours and then washed to separate the water-soluble impurities. The procedure is repeated at least 2-3 times, after which the combs are placed in an aluminum container with 20-30 liters of water and boiled to melt the wax. This mixture is filtered into another container where it is left to cool. As wax is lighter than water, it rises to the surface and can be easily separated. When allowed to cool, the wax solidifies to form a block that can be easily transported. Uses in Surgery According to the literature review, the history of the use of beeswax dates back to 1880 and various interesting uses have been mentioned in different parts of the world. The uses of beeswax in the surgical field could be listed as follows: As an augmentation material: The first documented use of beeswax was as a soft tissue augmentation material where it was used by injection to improve macrofacial aesthetics, but was later rejected secondarily. adverse tissue reaction. As an impression material: In the late 1945s, when lightweight elastomers or new imaging scanners were not yet in clinical use, the mixture of beeswax and petroleum jelly was the choice of impression material. Intraoperative impression to record the skull defect where cranioplasty with acrylic plates was performed. . It was also used to reproduce the details of the vomerine bone when the obturator was used in the management of cleft lip and palate. As a hemostatic agent: So far, the most promising use of beeswax is as a local hemostatic agent in the form of bone wax, first described by Parker and Horsley in 1892. Like all living tissue, bone bleeds when cut or fractured. requiring hemostasis to ensure visibility while maintaining a delicate balance between bleeding and clotting during surgery. The most effective and immediate way is to physically block the vascular channel and is known as tamponade. In this regard, the most used material is bone wax, which is a mixture of beeswax. Since then, bone wax has gained wide acceptance, as it is simple to use and effective in achieving hemostasis on hard tissue surfaces and the formulation has remained relatively unchanged, consisting of refined beeswax (88%) and isopropyl palmitate (12%). Treatment of myiasis: Beeswax is also used in the treatment of cases of myiasis of the oral cavity where an occlusion or suffocation approach is carried out as an adjunct to surgical debridement. In this approach, beeswax could be used to plug the orifice, forcing the aerobic larvae to the surface in search of air where they can be removed using forceps or forceps. As a covering material in sutures: Another use in the surgical field is beeswax as a covering material in non-absorbable sutures, for example: silk. Their specific use is primarily in braided or twisted sutures for ease of handling properties, particularly reduction of tissue drag when passing through the needle path and ease of sliding knots along the suture during tying. Non-adhesive dressing: After skin grafting, the most commonly used non-adhesive dressing is fibroin fabric.

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